Other Required Documentation (Comment Codes or C-Codes on the FAFSA)

To be eligible to receive federal student aid, a student must be one of the following (1) U.S. citizen or national; (2) U.S. permanent resident; (3) Citizens of the Freely Associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands; or (4) other eligible non-citizens. Before federal student aid can be disbursed, the student must provide one of the following within 30 days:

DO NOT MAIL ORIGINAL DOCUMENT, SUBMIT ORIGINAL DOCUMENT IN PERSON TO A FINANCIAL AID COUNSELOR.

• The original document of the Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 or N-570), from USCIS. This must include name, petition number, certificate number, USCIS A-number, name of the court that granted naturalization, date of naturalization and signature. • The original document of the U.S. passport or U.S. passport card, either current or expired.
• The original document of the Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561), issued by USCIS, which must include name, application number, certificate number, date issued and signature.
• The original document of the Permanent Resident Card or Resident Alien Card; Arrival-Departure Record, I-94 Arrival Departure record stamped for temporary permanent resident, refugees, asylees, conditional entrants, parolees, Cuban/Haitian entrants.
• A copy of the student’s birth certificate showing that you were born in the United States.
• A copy of the Form FS-240 (Consular Report of Birth Abroad).
• A copy of the Form FS-545 (Birth Certificate issued by Foreign Service post).
• A copy of the Form DS-1350 (Certification of Report of Birth). If students have any questions regarding their citizenship, they may contact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by visiting the DHS webpage 
  

If a student is selected for verification by the Office of Financial Aid due to conflicting information they will be notified of what documents to submit. The requirements for students who have conflicting information can vary, therefore these are handled on a case-by-case basis.

All U.S. citizens and immigrants who were born male, and are between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register with Selective Service. Exemptions are (1) males born before January 1, 1960, (2) non-citizens who entered the United States for the first time after the age of 26, (3) males hospitalized, incarcerated, or institutionalized during ages of 18-25 years, (4) males currently in the armed services and on active duty, and (5) citizens of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia. For more information, visit the Selective Service website. To be eligible to receive federal student aid, a student must: (1) be registered for Selective Service or (2) provide proof of non-registration as determined by the Selective Service Administration. You will need to submit documentation of your Selective Service status before you can receive any federal student aid.

You may submit any of the following documents listed below as proof of registration:

• Selective Service Registration;
• Acknowledgement or letter of registration;
• Evidence of exemption from the Selective Service registration process;
• Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Form DD-214), if applicable.

To obtain proof of a student’s Selective Service registration or non-registration form, contact Selective Service at (847) 688-6888 or go to Selective Service website.

The Office of Financial Aid institutionally selects students who have the following dependency status:

• Orphan
• Ward of the Court
• Legal Guardianship
• Emancipated Minor
• Homeless / Risk of being homeless

The forms for each of these statuses can be found in the individual student’s self-service account. The requirements for each student may vary, therefore these are handled on a case-by-case basis.

Students must speak to the Office of Financial Aid if they wish to request a “Dependency Override”. This process requires in-depth documentation, as well as in-person meetings with the Office of Financial Aid to determine the extenuating circumstances of their situation. Typically this process can take up to 4-6 weeks to complete.

Using information from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), The Office of Financial Aid must identify all institutions where the student received a Pell Grant or a Direct Loan for any of the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 award years. The Office of Financial Aid must then determine whether academic credit was earned at each of those institutions during the award year for which the student received a Pell Grant or a Direct Loan.

Based on those determinations, discussions with the student may be necessary. The student may also be required to submit an Unusual Enrollment History form and official transcripts from all institutions attended in the past four (4) award years. Documentation for this can vary, if a student is flagged with Unusual Enrollment History they will need to contact the Office of Financial Aid for further guidance. 

This document certifies the student’s identity as well as provides a statement from the student that any federal student aid they receive will be used for educational purposes only. The documentation requirement is listed below:

Students who are able to appear in person

• Students who are selected for verification and who are able to appear in person must provide to an authorized financial aid administrator the following documentation:
  • A valid, government-issued photo identification, such as driver’s license, state ID, or U.S. Passport;
  • The Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose signed statement certifying that federal student financial assistance the applicant may receive will only be used for educational purposes to pay for costs at the school for the 2016-2017 award year.

Students who are unable to appear in person

• If a student is unable to appear in person to provide the documentation required, the student must provide the following documentation to the school:
  • A clear copy of a valid, government-issued photo identification, such as driver’s license, state ID, or U.S. Passport;
  • The original, notarized Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose signed by the student certifying that the federal student financial assistance the applicant may receive will only be used for educational purposes to pay for costs at the school for the academic year

Proof of high school completion status is required with a student’s FAFSA application in order to receive federal student aid. The student may choose to provide one of the following documents that indicate high school completion status.

• A copy of a high school diploma;
• A copy of a final, official high school transcript that shows the date when the diploma was awarded;
• A copy of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or GED transcript that indicates the student passed the exam;
• Certification of a passing score on a test that the student’s state authorizes and recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma. This includes tests similar to the GED, such as the High School Equivalency Test or the Test Assessing Secondary Completion. Test transcripts are acceptable documentation if they indicate that the final score is a passing score or that the student’s state considers the test results to meet its high school equivalency requirements;
• A copy of the “secondary school leaving certificate” or similar document, obtained from the appropriate government agency, for students who completed secondary school in a foreign country. If the school does not have the expertise to evaluate foreign secondary school credentials or chooses not to do so, there are evaluation services available;
• An academic transcript that indicates the student successfully completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at any participating school;
• A copy of a secondary school completion credential for homeschool (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent) if state law requires homeschooled students to obtain that credential;
• A transcript or the equivalent, signed by the parent or guardian of a homeschooled student that lists the secondary school courses the student completed, and documents the successful completion of a secondary school education in a homeschool setting.

If a student is in default status on a loan, it may be due to failure to make payments on their student loan as scheduled according to the terms of their Master Promissory Note (MPN).  The MPN is a legal and binding document that is signed before any federal loan funding is disbursed. It is recommended that students contact their loan servicer regarding any loan default statuses. The Office of Financial Aid must obtain a loan default clearance letter from the student’s loan provider before releasing any federal loans.

To learn more about loans that are in a default status and how to clear default status, students may contact Shenandoah University’s Office of Financial Aid, go to the Federal Student Aid website or call 1-800-433-3243 to resolve this issue.