Verification
The U.S. Department of Education may select a student’s FAFSA for a process called verification. Verification is a federally required process used to confirm the accuracy of information reported on the FAFSA. Students selected for verification may be required to submit additional documentation to the Office of Financial Planning before financial aid eligibility can be finalized.
Requested documentation may include tax information, household information, verification worksheets, proof of identity, or other supporting documentation as required by federal regulations. Failure to submit requested documentation in a timely manner may delay financial aid processing and may affect eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid.
Gardner-Webb University reserves the right to request additional documentation at any time to resolve conflicting information or ensure compliance with federal regulations.
Professional Judgment
The Office of Financial Planning understands that changes in a student’s or family’s circumstances may affect financial aid eligibility. Under federal regulations, financial aid administrators may review special or unusual circumstances on a case-by-case basis through the professional judgment process.
Examples of special circumstances may include significant changes in income, loss of employment, divorce, separation, death of a parent or spouse, or unusual medical expenses. Examples of unusual circumstances may include unsafe family environments, abandonment, parental estrangement, or other circumstances that may warrant a dependency override.
Students requesting consideration through professional judgment will be required to provide supporting documentation. Submission of documentation does not guarantee approval of an adjustment or dependency override.
Beginning with the 2024–2025 award year, students who indicate unusual circumstances on the FAFSA may receive provisional independent status pending review by the Office of Financial Planning.