Financial aid professionals can now plan for the upcoming FAFSA verification season with the latest guidance from the Department of Education.
In a November 26 Dear Colleague Letter, the Department of Education details the changes in verification for 2026-27 and provides suggested text for schools to use in requesting additional documentation from students.
According to the Department, federal tax information (FTI) transferred via the FA-DDX to the FAFSA will continue to be considered verified and schools are not required to collect a Tax Return Transcript or signed copy of the 2024 income tax return.
Identity Verification
The Department has updated the acceptable documentation for identity verification. Two new methods are now available for schools to use:
- a video call between the student and institutional personnel as a substitute for the notary statement when the student cannot appear in person at the school.
- documentation that the student had their identity verified by a third party using a method satisfying the National Institute of Standards and Technology Identity Assurance Level 2 (NIST IAL2) standard.
In-person verification is encouraged as the preferred method, but the NIST IAL2 method is an acceptable alternative. If it is determined that a student cannot appear in person, the school can continue to use the signed notary statement method or the new video call method. Students who choose to verify their identity through a notary must do so in-person.
More information on identity verification is available on the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) policy guidance website and click on “Identity Verification.”
Reporting of V4 and V5 tracking groups
Verification of identity reporting for the V4 and V5 verification tracking groups is available in the FAFSA Partner Portal for the 2025-2026 award year. Schools may refer to Electronic Announcement GENERAL-25-36 for more information.
Statement of Educational Purpose
Schools are reminded that they can no longer require applicants to submit a Statement of Educational Purpose. It has also been removed from the suggested verification text document
Students who are confined or incarcerated
- These students will only be required to verify their identity when selected for V4 or V5 verification. (An official ID issued by the correctional facility will be acceptable documentation of identity.)
- Schools are not required to verify a confined or incarcerated student selected under the V1 tracking group.
Suggested Verification Text
The suggested verification text in Appendix A fulfills regulatory requirements, although schools are not required to use it.
The Electronic Announcement also includes some suggestions for schools when creating their institutionally developed verification documents.
