Application and Verification

The laws governing the Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs require that a person complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans. The FAFSA Processing System (FPS) produces the Student Aid Index (SAI), the results of the eligibility matches, and information about aid history. Typically, the financial aid office is responsible for authorizing disbursements by awarding aid through the need analysis and packaging processes. Because applicants sometimes make errors on their application, there is a process for verifying applications and making corrections, called verification.