FAFSA Fixes

Below you can find ways to FAFSA fixes. Please find the topic pertaining to your circumstance.

Non-tax filers

You stated that you WILL NOT FILE a federal income tax return on your FAFSA. We are required to collect additional information to confirm that you indeed did NOT file a federal income tax return. Complete and return this form with the required documents attached. If you do not complete the verification process, you forfeit federal student aid eligibility, including student loans. We strongly recommend you submit all documents within 14 days of receipt of the verification notice. Note that no financial aid will disburse if this process is not completed. Attach an official IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter, which you can obtain at www.irs.gov, by calling the IRS at 800-908-9946 or by filing Form 4506-T, check box 7.

Already verified

Your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was selected for a process called verification. The verification process has been completed; however, we have received another transmission (Student Aid Report - SAR) from the federal processor. Our office is now required to compare the new SAR to the SAR we verified and ensure the information has remained the same.

At this point there is no action required by you as the student. If the new SAR is correct we will remove the flag. If important information has been altered we are required to correct it and send an electronic correction back to the federal processor. We will not disburse funds until that correction has been electronically returned to our office.

New SARs are transmitted to our office when a correction is sent to the federal processor by either the student or school. Do not make any changes to your SAR without notifying our office to inquire if your correction is necessary.

Previously awarded

We have awarded you federal aid based on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Since we awarded you our office received another transmission (Student Aid Report - SAR) from the federal processor.

At this point there is no action required by you as the student; however, our office must ensure that you are still eligible for the aid we previously awarded to you.

New SARs are transmitted to our office when a correction is sent to the federal processor by either the student or school. Do not make any changes to your SAR without notifying our office to inquire if your correction is necessary.

Citizenship/residency mismatch

Social Security Administration could not confirm citizenship

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), your application was sent to the Social Security Administration to verify your citizenship status. The Social Security Administration did not confirm that you are a U.S. citizen.

Therefore, before we can consider you for federal student aid, you must provide us with your birth certificate, passport or other documents that prove citizenship. If you are an eligible non-citizen, you must provide official INS documentation of your status so that we can re-submit your Student Aid Report for processing.

Confirmation of veteran status

We have received your financial aid application from the federal processor; however, the application is invalid and requires your immediate attention. You indicated on your application that you have been afforded veteran status, yet the federal processor could not confirm your status as a veteran with the Department of Veteran's Affairs. You must bring a copy of your DD 214 to the Office of Financial Aid so that we can confirm your status as veteran of active duty military. If you do not have a DD 214, but attended at least one full day of a U.S. military academy (Army, Navy or Air Force academies), bring proof of that attendance to the Office of Financial Aid.

If you have questions, call (800) 891-4596.

Default on federal aid

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) indicated that you are in default on a least one federal student loan. 

• You must review your Student Aid Report (SAR) to receive information on who holds the defaulted loan and whom you may contact for further information. To resolve the default status, you must provide us with written documentation indicating your loan is either paid in full or is meeting satisfactory repayment arrangements.

You are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this situation is resolved.

Drug conviction

Students convicted of possession or sale of drugs:

• A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify you for federal financial aid.
• When you complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you must indicate whether you have such a conviction; if the answer is "Yes", you may be subject to a period of ineligibility as required by law.
• The Office of Financial Aid will be notified on the processed FAFSA that you have reported a conviction. You cannot be awarded unless you are able to confirm that you have regained eligibility. You may wish to call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) to find out how, or if, this law applies to you.
• Convictions only count if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which you were receiving Title IV federal aid (such as grants, loans, or work-study)-they do not count if the offense was not during such a period. Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from your record does not count, nor does one received when you were a juvenile, unless you were tried as an adult.
• The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for FSA funds, depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether you had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)
  • Possession of illegal drugs
    • 1st offense: 1 year from date of conviction
    • 2nd offense: 2 years from date of conviction
    • 3+ offense: Indefinite period
  • Sale of illegal drugs
    • 2 years from date of conviction
    • Indefinite period

If you were convicted of both possessing and selling illegal drugs, and the periods of ineligibility are different, you will be ineligible for the longer period.

You can regain eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when you successfully complete a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further drug convictions will make you ineligible again.

Any student denied eligibility for an indefinite period can regain it only after:

• You successfully completing a rehabilitation program as described below. It is your responsibility to certify to the school that you have done so. OR
• If a conviction is reversed, set aside, or removed from your record so that fewer than two convictions for sale or three convictions for possession remain on the record. In such cases, the nature and dates of the remaining convictions will determine when you regain eligibility.

If you regain eligibility during a term, you may award federal aid for that term.

Standards for a qualified drug rehabilitation program

A qualified drug rehabilitation program must include at least two unannounced drug tests and must satisfy at least one of the following requirements:

• Be qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly from a federal, state or local government program.
• Be qualified to receive payment directly or indirectly from a federally or state-licensed insurance company.
• Be administered or recognized by a federal, state or local government agency or court.
• Be administered or recognized by a federally or state-licensed hospital, health clinic or medical doctor.

NSLDS exceeding loan limits

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) reported that you may have received Stafford Loans in excess of your annual or aggregate Stafford Loan eligibility established for the federal loan programs based on your grade level and dependency status. You may visit https://nslds.ed.gov/ to view your federal loan history.

Based on the above information we will not award you federal aid. If you feel this is incorrect, contact our office for further assistance.

Below are the maximum annual and aggregate Stafford Loan amounts that may be borrowed based on grade level and dependency status.

Loan Counseling Required

We have received your award notification accepting a student loan. All first-time borrowers at UMMC must complete loan entrance counseling before they can receive their funds. This counseling is done via the web at www.studentloans.gov.

Loan discharged due to disability

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) indicated that you have prior loans discharged due to disability.

To receive further aid you must provide us with certification from a legally licensed physician stating that your condition has improved and that you 1.) have the ability to engage in substantial gainful activity or 2.) can attend school. You must also sign a statement indicating that you are aware that a new student loan cannot later be canceled on the basis of any present impairment unless that condition substantially deteriorates to the extent that the definition of total and permanent disability is again met.

You are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this situation has been resolved.

Loan in active bankruptcy

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) indicated that you have a defaulted student loan or a grant overpayment in an active bankruptcy claim. You must provide us with documentation from the holder of the debt stating that the debt is dischargeable.

You are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this situation has been resolved.

NSLDS monitoring for transfer students

The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the national database of information about loans and grants awarded to students under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants during their complete life cycle, from aid approval through disbursement, repayment, delinquency and closure.

Financial Aid Transcripts (FATS) were previously collected by schools to receive financial aid information. As of July 1, 2001, financial aid offices were no longer required to collect FATS. However, we are required to monitor transfer students through the NSLDS database. Once we post a student to the monitoring list, we must wait seven (7) days until we can disburse (provided that all other requirements are met). This process must be done even if you did not receive financial aid at any other school. There is no action needed by you (the student) during this process.

You are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this process is completed.

Orphan or ward of the court

When you filed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you reported that you are an orphan or ward of the court. Before we can determine your eligibility for financial aid, you must document your orphan/ward of the court status.

You are considered an orphan if both of your biological or adoptive parents are deceased. If you meet this definition of an orphan, provide to this office a copy of the death certificate for both of your parents.

If you are a ward of the court or were a ward of the court until age 18, you must provide us with a copy of the relevant court decree.

Documentation of your orphan/ward of the court status must be provided before we can continue processing your application for financial assistance.

Overpayment on federal aid

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) indicated that you have an Overpayment of federal student aid funds.

You must review your Student Aid Report (SAR) to receive information on who holds the overpayment and whom you may contact for further information. We must receive notification that the overpayment is resolved before we may administer aid.

You are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this situation is resolved.

Rejected Student Aid Report

We have received the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the federal processor; however, the application is invalid and requires your immediate attention. You should have received your Student Aid Report (SAR) in the mail from the federal processor and should review the SAR to determine what information is outstanding and what action is required by you to complete the application process. You may contact the federal processor at (800) 433-3243 for questions or concerns.

Review of international student aid

The Office of the Bursar must review all aid for international students.

The Office of the Bursar must review all aid for international students. If additional information is required, such as international tax status, you will be contacted by the bursar. Once this aid has been reviewed, it will go through the normal disbursement process of the Office of Financial Aid.

Selective Service

In the processing of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Selective Service reported that you are not registered with them.

If you believe that you have already registered or are exempt, contact the Selective Service at (847) 688-6888 to resolve any problems regarding your registration status. You may also visit them online at www.sss.gov. Once you have confirmed your status, you must provide us with official Selective Service documentation of your registration status.

Females and those men born before 1960 do not have to register with the Selective Service. Contact our office to bring this issue to our attention so that we may correct the problem for you immediately.

No federal student aid can be awarded to you until this matter is resolved. Please contact our office if we can be of assistance.

SSN, name or birthdate mismatch

Social Security number does not correspond with name or date of birth.

According to the Social Security Administration records, the date of birth you reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not correspond with the social security number you reported.

If the name and Social Security number shown on your Student Aid Report are correct, you must contact a Social Security administration office to resolve this problem. Once resolved, you must provide a copy of your Social Security card to our office so that we can reprocess your Student Aid Report.

If either your name or Social Security number reported on your FAFSA is incorrect, you should contact our office for assistance in correcting the Student Aid Report.

We also strongly recommend that you contact the Registrar's Office, (601) 984-1080, to make any name changes so that the names on all official records are consistent.

No award of federal student aid can be made until this matter is resolved.

NSLDS mismatch

When you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) found your reported Social Security number on their database, but neither your name nor date of birth matched on the NSLDS record.

You must review your Student Aid Report (SAR) to determine if your correct Social Security number, name and/or date of birth is listed. Correct and return the SAR if there are discrepancies. If the information on the SAR is correct, contact our office for further instructions.

We cannot continue processing your information until this situation is resolved.