ACC Verification Policy

American Career College Financial Aid Verification Policy

What is Financial Aid Verification?
In accordance with the U.S. Department of Education regulations, American Career college is required to verify the accuracy of information provided by student on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for selected students. Students may be randomly selected by the U.S. Department of Education or American Career College as a part of the processing of the FAFSA and calculation of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that is used to determine eligibility for Federal Financial Aid programs such as the Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Subsidized Federal Direct Loan program, Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan program, Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) program, and Federal Work Study program. Any student selected for verification must provide requested documents to complete the verification process.

How are students notified that they have been selected for the verification process?
Students are notified via their current email on file when American Career College receives an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) from the U.S. Department of Education’s Central Processing System (CPS) after the student submits a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This notification contains information on the specific documents required to complete verification and may include, but are not limited to the following documents:

• Verification Worksheet
• IRS Tax Returns/Transcripts and schedules
• W-2 forms
• IRS verification of non-filing
• Statement of Identity and Educational Purpose
• Government issued photo identification
• Other documents as requested

What is the time period in which students selected for verification must submit documentation?
Students must submit the requested documents listed in the verification notification email within 14 days of the date of the notification. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, but under no circumstances will documents be accepted after the student’s last date of attendance in the award year (except to receive Pell Grant funds).

What are the consequences of failing to submit documents within the required time period?
Failure to submit verifications materials within the required time period may result in the loss of campus-based aid (Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and Federal Work Study) and federal loans for the payment period or term. Pell Grant eligibility is not forfeited unless verification documents are not received by the last weekday in September of the award year, or within 120 days of the last day of enrollment, whichever comes first.

What is the process followed to correct FAFSA data if required as a result of the verification process?
American Career College personnel will use documents submitted by the student to correct FAFSA data in the institutions’ student information system and transmit the corrections to the U.S. Department of Education’s Central Processing System electronically. In some cases, the student may be asked to make corrections via the FAFSA website at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

How are students notified if their expected family contribution and Title IV aid amounts change?
Students will be notified via their current email on file that a new estimated Financial Aid Offer has been uploaded to their student portal. The Financial Aid Offer will detail the new expected family contribution and updated Title IV aid amounts. Students may login to the American Career College student portal at https://americancareercollege.srm-app.net/.

What procedure does American Career College follow to refer a student to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) if the institution suspects fraud?
If at point, any credible information indicates that an applicant for Title IV, HEA program assistance may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with his or her application, he/she will be reported to the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education for investigation. The information is generally reported via email to the Office of Inspector General by the Vice President of Financial Aid, the Vice President of Compliance, or General Counsel.

Examples of fraudulent information include:
(i) False claims of independent student status
(ii) False claims of citizenship
(iii) Use of false identities
(iv) Forgery of signatures or certifications
(v) False statements of income
(vi) Any credible information indicating that any employee, third-party servicer, or other agent of the institution that acts in a capacity that involves the administration of the Title IV, HEA programs, or the receipt of funds under those programs, may have engaged in fraud, misrepresentation, conversion or breach of fiduciary responsibility, or other illegal conduct involving the Title IV, HEA programs