Verification Process

Verification

Verification is a process to confirm the information you provided on the FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The U.S. Department of Education selects students for the verification process. However, Texas State University reserves the right to require students to submit additional information for selected conditions. Your selection for verification may be based on random or federal sampling or because your FAFSA® data were incomplete, estimated, or inconsistent.

Expand FAQ List

  • Verification Information

    • If you are selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, Financial Aid and Scholarships will send an email to you letting you know you have unsatisfied requirements. Financial Aid and Scholarships is required to ask you to provide documentation to confirm the information on your FAFSA®. You can see any unsatisfied requirements on Texas State Self-Service.

      If Financial Aid and Scholarships requests a copy of your tax return transcript (or your parent's tax return transcript), please request an IRS Tax Return Transcript, which can be obtained free of charge from the IRS (see section titled "Submitting Tax Information" below). Please be certain you request the Return Transcript and not the Account Transcript. Students and parents who amended their federal tax return will be requested to provide both the IRS Tax Return Transcript and the 1040X form denoting the updated changes.

    • When you are selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, you must submit the requested verification documentation by the appropriate deadline. If you do not submit your verification documentation by the appropriate deadline, you may become ineligible for financial aid.

      Financial Aid and Scholarships will process verification documentation in the order received. However, the verification review process can take up to 3 weeks to complete during peak seasons. Delays in your filing the FAFSA® and submitting accurate verification documentation will delay the processing of your financial aid. You may need to make arrangements to pay your educational expenses out-of-pocket until your financial aid is processed.

      2024-2025 Verification Document Submission Deadlines
      FAFSA®AttendanceSuggested DeadlineDeadline
      2024-2025Fall semester onlyNovember 1, 2024April 12, 2025
      2024-2025Fall and/or spring semestersMarch 1, 2025September 4, 2025
      2024-2025Fall, spring and/or summer semestersJuly 15, 2025September 4, 2025
      2025-2026 Verification Document Submission Deadlines
      FAFSA®AttendanceSuggested DeadlineDeadline
      2025-2026Fall semester onlyNovember 1, 2025TBD
      2025-2026Fall and/or spring semestersMarch 1, 2026TBD
      2025-2026Fall, spring and/or summer semestersJuly 15, 2026TBD

      *Please submit the required documents well before the suggested deadline to ensure you can be awarded the maximum aid for which you are eligible. If you submit the required documentation after the suggested deadline, your eligibility may be limited or you may be ineligible for financial aid.

    • The U.S. Department of Education can select you for verification or request additional documentation at any time, including after you have received financial aid. If you are selected for verification or asked to submit additional documents after receiving financial aid, we will notify you of the documentation required. Until such documentation is received, and the data are determined to match your FAFSA®, any federal grants you may have received (e.g., Pell Grant) will be pulled from your student account with Student Business Services. If you do not submit the requested documentation by the appropriate deadline (see Verification Deadlines above), you will become ineligible for any future pending financial aid disbursements as well as federal grant and TEXAS Grant funds you have already received.

    • If the data reported on your FAFSA® are confirmed, Financial Aid and Scholarships will determine your aid eligibility and notify you via email of your aid offers listed on Texas State Self-Service. If Financial Aid and Scholarships find differences between the data reported on your FAFSA® and the verification information you submitted, they will make corrections to your FAFSA® before determining your aid eligibility. Unless you are advised by Financial Aid and Scholarships, we strongly encourage you NOT to make any FAFSA® corrections during the verification process as this action may cause additional delays in the awarding of your financial aid.

      If the verification process is completed after you were initially offered or received financial aid, your financial aid eligibility may change as a result of changes to your FAFSA®. You may also be required to repay financial aid that was previously awarded to you. Financial Aid and Scholarships will notify you of any changes to your aid via your Texas State email account.


    • Request an IRS Tax Return Transcript Online

      Request an IRS Tax Return Transcript by Mail

      Request an IRS Tax Transcript by Phone

      Request an IRS Tax Return Transcript Online

      1. Visit the IRS website.
      2. On the homepage, click "Get your tax record".
      3. Click "Get Transcript Online".
      4. First Time Users will need to click "Create an account" to complete the registration process. Returning users will click "Sign in with ID.me" and follow the prompts to log in.
      5. Once you are able to login to your account, you will be prompted to select a reason you need a transcript. Select the "Income Verification" option.
      6. Click "Go".
      7. You will then see a list of available transcripts and years. Select the appropriate tax year from the "Return Transcript" section. Print all pages of the Tax Return Transcript.
      8. Submit your Tax Return Transcript to our office by clicking the unsatisfied requirement on Texas State Self-Service and attaching it to the online form.

       

      Request an IRS Tax Return Transcript by Mail

      1. Visit the IRS website.
      2. On the homepage, click "Get your tax record".
      3. Click "Get Transcript by Mail".
      4. Click "OK" on the FOR AUTHORIZED USE ONLY page.
      5. Enter the tax filer's Social Security number, date of birth, street address, and zip or postal code.
      6. Enter your address exactly as it appears on your tax return. However, if you have since changed your address through the U.S. Postal Service, the IRS may have already updated the address on file. If so, use the updated address.
      7. Click "Continue".
      8. In the "Select Transcript Type" field, select "Return Transcript" and enter the tax year requested. If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address included in their online request within 5 to 10 days from the time the online request was transmitted to the IRS. IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested online cannot be sent directly to a third party (i.e., Texas State) by the IRS.
      9. When you receive the IRS Tax Return Transcript, please submit it to our office by clicking the unsatisfied requirement on Texas State Self-Service and attaching it to the online form.

       

      Request an IRS Tax Transcript by Phone

      1. Call the IRS at 1-800-908-9946.
      2. Follow the prompts to enter the tax filer's Social Security number and the street address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if you have since changed your address through the U.S. Postal Service, the IRS may have already updated the address on file. If so, use the updated address.
      3. Select Option 2 to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript and then enter the appropriate year. If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address that was used in their telephone request within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives the request. IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party (i.e., Texas State) by the IRS.
      4. When you receive the IRS Tax Return Transcript, please submit it to our office by clicking the unsatisfied requirement on Texas State Self-Service and attaching it to the online form.