Special or extenuating circumstances — professional judgment
Sometimes there are special or extenuating circumstances that affect which information is reported on the FAFSA. Congress has empowered the Directors of Financial Aid to exercise their professional judgment (PJ) to resolve problems students may face in filing the FAFSA. Students who believe they qualify for special considerations should file a written request with the Director of Financial Aid giving specific details and be prepared to provide additional documentation. These situations include, but are not limited to, the death of a parent, significant loss of income, involuntary dissolution of the family, and significant tuition expenses for the student's siblings.
PJ requests should be made before the FAFSA is filed. The intent of Congress is that PJ situations be reviewed on a case-by-case basis; the decision of one Director may not necessarily match the decision reached by a different Director at another institution.
Verification
The U.S. Department of Education, through the FAFSA Central Processor, selects students on a random and not-so-random basis to submit documentation to the Director of Financial Aid, who validates various data elements submitted on the FAFSA. All students whose FAFSA is selected for verification must submit a Federal Verification Worksheet and other required documentation. Failure to provide the required documents within 20 days of notification will result in cancellation of the request for aid, and the student will be responsible to pay the entire bill. No aid will be awarded or disbursed until all corrections have been reprocessed by the Federal Processor.
Conflicting or discrepant information
Prior to the disbursal of federal funds, the Center must ensure that all student information is consistent. Common inconsistencies include the student's name, date of birth, high school or GED status, marital status, citizenship status, loan default, veteran status, selective service registration, and tax filing status. The Director of Financial Aid will review all student information and request additional documentation to resolve discrepancies. Students who fail to provide sufficient documentation within twenty days will be denied financial aid and responsible for their entire bill. Cases of suspected fraud will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General. No aid will be awarded or disbursed until all corrections or changes have been reprocessed by the Federal Processor. All corrected information received from the Federal Processor subsequent to the initial FAFSA will be reviewed and all conflicting information resolved before additional federal funds can be disbursed. Conflicting information involving a prior year must also be resolved before aid can be awarded. Students should consult with the Director of Financial Aid before making any changes to their original FAFSA.
Disqualification of aid for sale and possession of illegal drugs
A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify a student from receiving federal aid, regardless of whether the conviction was for possession or sale. Students with a conviction on their record should consult with the Director of Financial Aid regarding their eligibility.