A percentage of applicants who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and others based on edit criteria are selected by the U.S. Department of Education's Central Processing System (CPS) for data verification. Some schools choose to verify additional applicants beyond those selected by CPS. Schools must verify certain data elements reported on the FAFSA using documentation provided by the student and family.

Verification Worksheet

FAFSA applicants selected for verification must complete a Verification Worksheet. Applicants can print a Verification Worksheet from WINGS Express. Log on to WINGS Express, click on Student and Financial Aid, click on Financial Aid and Scholarships, and then click on Financial Aid and Scholarship Requirements. Verification Worksheets appear as requirements on WINGS Express no sooner than March prior to the start of the aid year. If you are not selected for verification, you do not need to complete a Verification Worksheet and it will not appear as a requirement on WINGS Express.

Applicants selected for verification must follow the instructions on the Verification Worksheet and submit all requested U.S. Income Tax Return documentation, along with the Verification Worksheet, to the Office of Financial Aid. Make certain all appropriate signatures are provided.

Submit Documentation Early

WSU receives limited funding from the federal government for the federal student aid campus-based programs (e.g., Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work Study, etc.). Therefore, applicants selected for verification who filed their FAFSAs by WSU's priority deadline date are encouraged to submit verification documentation as soon as possible. Otherwise, funding for the campus-based programs may be depleted, prohibiting the inclusion of any campus-based programs in the applicant's Award Notice.

The Office of Financial Aid may take a minimum of two weeks to complete the verification process during peak processing timeframes. Therefore, all applicants are encouraged to check their WINGS Express account frequently and to complete all requirements in a timely manner. An Award Notice will not be made available to the applicant until the verification process has been completed nor will federal student aid awards disburse to a student's account if he or she is selected for verification after having received an Award Notice.