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Verification and Quality Assurance
Each year about thirty percent of students’ financial aid applications nationwide are chosen for “verification,” a process of confirming data supplied by the applicant and/or parents. Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University (PVAMU) also must resolve discrepancies on students’ financial aid applications. PVAMU participates in the federal Quality Assurance (QA) Program, a federal program that allows the university to establish its own verification criteria and determine which student files must be verified. If your application is chosen for QA, we will notify you. If your application is selected for Verification, or if there are discrepancies on your application information, we will send you a letter that will outline the documents you will be required to provide. Do not submit any documents unless we ask you to do so. Aid funds cannot be disbursed to you until you submit all requested documents and the accuracy of your information has been checked. This can take six weeks or longer. NOTE: students who receive financial aid based on incorrect information may be required to pay it back. Anyone who intentionally gives false or misleading information on aid applications may be subject to a fine of $10,000, receive a prison sentence, or both. "WHO" PVAMU will verify 30% of the total number of aid applicants selected by the Federal Processor. In addition, we will resolve all comments on the ISIR, conflicting documentation, or the PVAMU Financial Aid Staff may question any aspect of an application. "WHAT" For applicants undergoing verification, PVAMU will verify the items specified in the 34 CFR Part 668.56. Specifically these items include for Title IV applicants: AGI; taxes paid; non-taxable income; household size; number in postsecondary education. Additional items will also be verified when there is conflicting documentation on file or items selected by the PVAMU Financial Aid Staff. "APPLICANT DEFINITION" An applicant is anyone enrolled at PVAMU who is also eligible to receive an aid award. "APPLICANT'S RESPONSIBILITIES" It will be the applicant's responsibility to see that all documents requested are properly submitted with proper signatures. If a Pell or campus-based applicant's dependency status changes during the award year, updating will occur unless that change is as a result of a change in marital status. Household size and number in postsecondary education can only be updated as a result of overpayment discovered during the verification process. "DOCUMENTATION" Documentation will consist of signed copies of most income-tax returns as well as the completed and signed appropriate verification form. Some exceptions to documentation may be made in conjunction with what is allowed by federal regulation. "TIME PERIOD" All applicants are encouraged to submit the required forms and documentation as quickly as possible. For campus-based funds, which are made reasonably available to all eligible students within our packaging policy, the application is not complete until the verification process has been completed. Normally, campus-based aid will not be awarded for a semester that is more than half over unless the Assistant Provost for Student Financial Aid and or Associate Director decided to make an exception. For Pell recipients, the deadline is 120 days from the applicant's last date of enrollment or August 31, whichever comes first. This included making any necessary corrections, submitting those corrections to the Central Processor, and submitting the new correct Student Aid Report (SAR) to the institution. For Federal loan applicants, PVAMU will require verification to occur before determining eligibility; normally an application will not be certified for a period of enrollment that has already passed or if less than 30 days remain before the close of the semester. Specific documentation will use the time periods outlined in regulation. "INTERIM DISBURSEMENTS" No Title IV aid will be released until the student has completed the required verification process. "CONSEQUENCES" If a student fails to provide documentation or information within the required time frame, no Title IV aid will be released. "TOLERANCES" "NOTIFICATION" The PVAMU Office of Student Financial Aid will inform a student of what is required for verification, as processing occurs. Documents missing will be noted on the missing item list or document- tracking letter and given or mailed to the student. If during the process of verification or updating, PVAMU realizes that a Federal Loan or any other financial aid that exceeds tolerance levels, have been made and these exceed the student's need, the student will be notified of this action in writing. If, in the verification process, it is discovered that the award amount would increase for a Pell, the student will be informed but PVAMU will only pay on the original ISIR until the a new one is processed and originated. "REFERRAL PROCEDURES" The PVAMU Office of Student Financial Aid follows the referral procedures mandated by Federal regulation. Information will be referred to the Secretary of Education, as outlined in the Verification handbook. Over-awards, as a result of Return of Title IV will be reported to the Federal Government if it exceeds $25.00. Just a Quick Reminder… Do
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