What is verification?
The GCSU Financial Aid Office is required for verify information and make corrections when necessary. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, it does not mean that the U.S. Department of Education believes something is incorrect. Some applications are selected on a random basis. Some are selected by the GCSU Financial Aid Office due to conflicting information on the application that must be corrected. However, for all applicants, federal aid may not be disbursed until the verification process is complete.
Verify your Aid
When additional documentation is needed in order to review your eligibility, you will need to submit that documentation online at gcsu.studentforms.com. If you have not created an account before, follow the steps below to do so:
- Go to gcsu.studentforms.com and select “Create Account” button
- Provide email, username, and password information
- Confirm “Student Information” as entered on the FAFSA by completing the requested fields
- Enter phone number to subscribe to mobile text notifications and accept Privacy Policy
- Select “Create Account” button then you will be redirected to the login screen to log in
- Required documents are identified by a red notification circle. Click on the tab or task to complete documents. You will now be able to upload documents.
- We recommend you verify your email address, in the event you forget your password, you will be able to utilize the “I Forgot My Password” option.
- If parent signatures are required, an email notification will be sent to your parent at the time you submit documents that require parent signature.
What forms will I need to verify my aid?
| Birth Certificate | If a Birth Certificate or Social Security Card is needed, students must submit these documents to the GCSU Financial Aid office by one of the following ways:
|
| Social Security Card | |
| FAFSA Signature Needed | If the FAFSA signature is required, students and/or parents must log in to FAFSA at studentaid.gov and sign in with their FSA ID and password to resubmit the FAFSA with a signature. |
| Lawful Presence | If Lawful Presence is required, students will need to submit a color copy of their current state issued ID or Driver’s License. Students must submit these documents to the GCSU Financial Aid office by one of the following ways:
|
Tax Information
The list below provides information and/or links to various documents, which may be requested in order to review your financial aid eligibility.
Verification of Non-Filing Letter
If a dependent student's parents or an independent student and/or spouse were not required to file an IRS Tax Return for the specified year or earn income for that year, they must submit a Verification of Non-Filing Letter or similar documentation from the IRS.
Method of Request
- IRS Form 4506-T (Download at irs.gov)
- IRS Tax Return Transcript (Online at irs.gov)
Acceptable Documentation
- IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter or IRS Form 13873 that specifies the individual has no record of a tax return filed.
- A Tax Return Transcript will include a message such as "no record of return filed or "no transcript on file”.
IRS Tax Return Transcript
If a Tax Return Transcript is required, follow these instructions to request this document from the IRS. (We cannot accept a copy of the tax return).
The best way to verify income is by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool that is part of FAFSA on the Web. If the student has not already used the tool, go to studentaid.gov, log in to the student’s FAFSA, select “Make FAFSA Corrections,” and navigate to the Financial Information section of the form. From there, follow the instructions to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer IRS income tax information. If you are unable to use the Data Retrieval Tool, you can request the Tax Return Transcript in the following ways.
Transcript by MAIL:
- Go to www.irs.gov, click “Get My Tax Record.”
- Click “Get Transcript by MAIL.”
- Enter personal information and continue.
- Make sure to request the “Return Transcript” and NOT the “Account Transcript.”
- The transcript is generally received within 10 business days from the IRS’s receipt of the online request.
Transcript ONLINE:
- Go to www.irs.gov, click “Get My Tax Record.”
- Click “Get Transcript ONLINE.”
- Make sure to request the “IRS Tax Return Transcript” and NOT the “IRS Tax Account Transcript.”
- To use the Get Transcript Online tool, the user must have access to a valid email address, a text-enabled mobile phone (pay-as-you-go plans cannot be used) in the user’s name, and specific financial account numbers (such as a credit card number or an account number for a home mortgage or auto loan).
- The transcript displays online upon successful completion of the IRS’s two-step authentication.
Automated Telephone Request: 1-800-908-9946. Transcript is generally received within 10 business days from the IRS’s receipt of the telephone request.
Paper Request Form: IRS Form 4506T-EZ or IRS Form 4506-T. The transcript is generally received within 10 business days from the IRS’s receipt of the paper request form.