Verification Process

Source: https://www.osfa.illinois.edu/process/verification-process/ Parent: https://www.osfa.illinois.edu/

Verification is the process of confirming that information reported by you and your parents or spouse on the FAFSA is accurate.

If You are Selected

Each year, applicants nationwide are randomly selected by the Federal Central Processing System for verification. The university may also randomly select you.

If you are selected for verification, we will email you a notification directing you to review in your University of Illinois Integrated Self-Service (UI-Integrate Self-Service) what additional documentation must be provided. Please include your name and University Identification Number (UIN) on every document submitted to our office.

Verifying Your Tax Information

For 2026-2027 verification: If you are selected for verification for 2026-2027 by the federal processor, information will be sent via email upon receiving your FAFSA requesting you log into your University of Illinois Integrated Self-Service (UI-Integrate Self-Service) to review a list of requirements that need to be satisfied to complete the verification process. Newly admitted undergraduate students selected for verification will be notified of document requirements as well as directions on how to upload them through your myIllini account after admission decisions are made.

For 2025-2026 verification:If you are selected for verification for 2025-2026 by the federal processor, information will be sent via email upon receiving your FAFSA requesting you log into your University of Illinois Integrated Self-Service (UI-Integrate Self-Service) to review a list of requirements that need to be satisfied to complete the verification process. New undergraduate students selected for verification will be notified of document requirements as well as directions on how to upload them through yourmyIllini account after admission decisions are made.

Amended Tax Return

If for 2026-2027, you, your accountant, or the IRS amended your tax return in 2024, you must provide the Office of Student Financial Aid a copy of your signed amended 2024 1040X tax return filed to the IRS.

If for 2025-2026, you, your accountant, or the IRS amended your tax return in 2023, you must provide the Office of Student Financial Aid a copy of your signed amended 2023 1040X tax return filed to the IRS.

Victim of Identity Theft

For the 2026-2027 academic year, if you are a tax filer who was a victim of identity theft for the 2024 tax year, please submit all of the following:

• A signed copy of your 2024 Federal income tax return and Schedules 1 and 3 filed with the IRS; and
• An IRS 4674C letter (a letter from the IRS acknowledging the identity theft) or a statement signed and dated by you indicating that you were a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft, and the IRS has been made aware of it.

For the 2025-2026academic year, if you are a tax filer who was a victim of identity theft for the 2023 tax year, please submit all of the following:

• A signed copy of your 2023 Federal income tax return and Schedules 1 and 3 filed with the IRS; and
• An IRS 4674C letter (a letter from the IRS acknowledging the identity theft) or a statement signed and dated by you indicating that you were a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft, and the IRS has been made aware of it.

Once the required documentation is received, we will compare the documents to the information initially provided on your FASFA. If there are any discrepancies with the information on the FAFSA, we will make the corrections and you’ll receive an updated FAFSA Submission Summary. If the documentation provided to us doesn’t provide all of the necessary information to complete the verification process, you’ll be sent another request outlining the additional documentation needed. Two to three weeks after the verification process is complete, you’ll receive an email indicating that your Financial Aid Notification is available for your review. Students selected for verification won’t receive a Financial Aid Notification until the verification process is complete. Please include your name and UIN on every document submitted to our office.

Verifying Your Citizenship Status

If your citizenship status isn’t verified by the Central Processing Service when you initially complete your FAFSA, we will ask you to submit documentation to us verifying your citizenship status. You must complete and submit the aid year specific Citizenship Affidavit form, available on our Forms page. In addition to the form, please submit a copy of your valid government-issued photo ID to verify the citizenship documentation you are providing is a true, exact, and complete copy of the original one issued to you.

If you are a U.S. citizen born in the U.S., submit one of the following documents:

• A copy of your birth certificate
• A copy of your baptismal certificate
• A copy of your signed voter’s registration card
• A copy of the photo and information page of your signed U.S. passport

If you are a U.S. citizen born outside the U.S., submit one of the following documents:

• A copy of your signed certificate of citizenship
• A copy of the photo and information page of your signed U.S. passport
• A copy of your signed certificate of naturalization

If you are an eligible non-citizen, submit one of the following documents to fulfill the requirement:

• A front and back side copy of your Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551 or I-151)
• A copy of your passport stamped, “Processed for I-551 … valid until ___”
• A copy of your departure record (I-94)
• A copy of your signed U.S. passport stamped “Non-Citizen National”
• A copy of your passport from the Trust Territory or Northern Mariana Island

Completing the Process

Once the required documentation is received, we will compare the documents to the information initially provided on your FASFA. If there are any discrepancies compared to the information on the FAFSA, we will make the corrections and you’ll receive an updated FAFSA Submission Summary.

If the documentation provided to us doesn’t provide all of the necessary information to complete the verification process, you’ll be sent another request outlining the additional documentation that’s needed.

Around 2 to 3 weeks after the verification process is complete, you’ll receive an email when your Financial Aid Notification is available.