Students selected for Verification by the U. S. Department of Education are sent a letter from the South Dakota Enrollment Services Center (ESC) explaining items needed and includes the South Dakota Public Higher Education Verification Form (VF). In limited, special situations South Dakota State University (SDSU) may select applications for verification.

Students need to submit the requested verification documents quickly,  because only completed verification applications are reviewed for federal student financial aid eligibility. Incomplete verification forms will be returned to the applicant unless the information can be documented to complete the form. Verification status occurring prior to the student’s last date of attendance is extended for completing verification according to the federal student aid guidelines

Depending on where the information is sent, the Enrollment Service Center, or SDSU's Financial Aid Office will compare the required verification data elements from the current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and information from the Verification Form and the IRS Tax Return(s) provided by the applicant. If the verification information for eligible students is accurate, or does not have to be reprocessed, the SDSU Financial Aid Office will send an Award/Resources Letter to the student.

Verifications needing corrected information will be sent electronically to the U. S. Department of Education for reprocessing. Students will receive reprocessed information from the USDE. SDSU will also receive an electronic record from the U. S.  Department of Education at which time the SDSU Financial Aid Office will resume student aid processing.

Verifications on transactions occurring after federal student aid was awarded or disbursed on prior non-verified applications will be subject to adjustments pending the results of completed verification. The SDSU Financial Aid Office will notify the student with a revised Award/Resources Letter if federal student aid is changed.  Additional aid may be provided if the revised federal Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is less than the earlier EFC.  If the revised EFC is greater than the earlier EFC, the student may have a reduction in federal student aid.  Students owing a repayment to a federal student aid program are ineligible for other aid and may be considered in default on a student loan if the aid is not repaid within federal student aid timeframes. All federal student aid, cannot be paid until the repayment is resolved with the SDSU Financial Aid Office. Unresolved repayments and/or fraud verification cases may be referred to the U. S. Department of Education for collection purposes and to document ineligibility for future student financial aid.

Please contact the SDSU Financial Aid Office if you have any questions or need more information.