Eligibility and Verification

To receive aid from federal student aid programs, you must meet basic requirements. You can find a list of these requirements in this publication:  Do You Need Money for College? 

Basic Student Eligibility Requirements

  • You must demonstrate financial need;
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or an Eligible Non-Citizen;
  • have a valid Social Security number (some exceptions apply);
  • be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible degree program;
  • effective 2024-25, provide consent and approval to have your federal tax information transferred directly into your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form via direct data exchange with the IRS,
  • sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form stating that you’re not in default on a federal student loan, you do not owe money on a federal student grant, and you’ll only use federal student aid for educational purposes; and
  • Must meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress. The policy and criteria for assessing SAP can be found in the Gatton College of Pharmacy Student Handbook

For more information about these criteria, please visit FSA Financial Aid Eligibility

Verification Requirements

  • Student Loan Default: You must contact your loan holder to resolve your default status. If you’re not sure who your loan holder is, you can log in to My Federal Student Aid  " to get your loan holder’s contact information. 
  • The Central Processing System (CPS) of the Department of Education may select applicants for verification. The school is required to verify specific data items on every application that is selected by CPS.  The school is required by regulation to resolve any conflicting information.
  • Students are notified on the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) when his/her FAFSA is selected for verification. Schools are notified on the Electronic Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR).  Most financial information on the FAFSA submitted through use of the IRS Direct Data Exchange (FA-DXX) is considered to be verified as long as no changes are made to that information. 
  • The university reserves the right to request additional documentation required by the Department of Education and/or FAFSA Simplification Act that pertains to a student’s verification tracking group.
  • Documents needed for verification will be requested from the student via email.  Reminder letters will be sent by email until all documents needed are received. All documentation submitted must bear the appropriate signatures.
  • The last day to submit all documentation/information required for the verification process is 25 days.
  • Student will become ineligible to receive federal aid if the verification process is not completed.
  • If the verification process for federal/state aid causes a change in the student's eligibility, student aid index, or TITLE IV aid, awards will be adjusted accordingly and student will be notified via email.

Satisfactory Academic Progress 

  • Determination of whether a student is making satisfactory progress is made by the Academic Progression Committee (APC).  The committee is responsible for monitoring student performance, progression in the curriculum, academic probation, and academic remediation.
  • The COP financial aid office SAP standards mirror the SAP standards employed by the Academic Progression Committee (APC) policies to evaluate students’ continued enrollment and continued eligibility of financial assistance in the Pharm.D. program.  This rule applies to federal, state, institutional, and private funds.  (See Academic Progression Policy in the Gatton Student Handbook)
  • For financial aid eligibility purposes, students accepted into the PharmD program shall be deemed as making satisfactory academic progress at the time of matriculation and continue to be considered in good standing year to year of the PharmD program unless a significant action is taken by the Academic Progression Committee. 
  • The Associate Director of Financial Aid is notified of significant actions of the Academic Progress Committee for monitoring purposes to ensure compliance with Title IV regulations.  As such, those students have their SAP updated accordingly based on the evaluation of APC. Our Academic Progression Committee evaluates student performance, progression, and remediation at the end of each semester.
  • Our financial aid appeal process is embedded into the college's appeal process. A student who successfully appeals their academic progress at the college will automatically have their financial aid eligibility reinstated.