Verification

Students are randomly selected to complete the verification process by the Department of Education. Financial Aid Services will request the paperwork needed from you and/or your parents/spouse.

Students who have committed to Baruch College will receive an email notification listing the paperwork required. Common requested documents include—but are not limited to—federal IRS tax return transcripts for student and parent(s), current bank account statements, proof of value if a business is owned, proof of value if rental real estate property is owned, and investment information. You may obtain an IRS Tax Return Transcript online.

How to Request IRS Verification of Non-filing

If you have ever filed a tax return in a prior year, you can request an IRS Verification of Non-filing here.

If you have never filed a tax return in a prior year, you can only request verification of non-filing from the IRS using the 4506-T form – Request for Transcript of Tax Return. The completed document can be faxed/mailed as instructed on the form.

All requested documents that our office may ask for must be photocopies that our office can keep in your file.

Yes. All required documents must be submitted within two weeks of notification. The deadline for verification materials for the 2025-2026 award year is September 4^th, 2026, or 120 days after the student’s last day of enrollment, whichever is earlier. We recommend that you submit all requested documentation before the beginning of the academic year to finalize your award status. Note: Only currently enrolled students can submit professional judgment requests (income adjustments).

Federal regulations allow Financial Aid Administrators to exercise professional judgment and adjust the information on the FAFSA on a case-by-case basis, if unusual or special circumstances exists. If your family’s current financial situation differs from the information used to complete the FAFSA application, you may be eligible to appeal for a Student Aid Index (SAI) adjustment. Students experiencing a special or unusual circumstance should access Student Forms and follow the instructions to request reevaluation of eligibility by providing documentation to support the changes detailed.

Special Circumstances

Special circumstances refer to changes in a family’s financial situation (e.g., loss of a job, unemployment, etc.) that justify adjusting data elements in a student’s cost of attendance or the calculation of financial aid eligibility.

Unusual Circumstances

Unusual circumstances refer the conditions that justify an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation (e.g., human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abuse or abandonment, or incarceration), more commonly referred to as a dependency override.

Note: Students whose parents refuse to support them are not eligible for a dependency override.

Processing Timeline

Supporting documentation is required in order for the financial aid administrator to make a final determination. The special circumstances appeal can take up to 45 business days to process after all required documentation has been submitted. If the appeal is for unusual circumstances, a final determination will be made as soon as practicable and within 60 days of a student’s enrollment, after all required documentation has been successfully submitted. If the student begins the unusual circumstances appeal process but all documents are not submitted within 60 days of enrollment or by the deadline for the term or academic year (whichever comes first), the student risks the appeal being denied due to insufficient documentation.

Appeals must be completed while you are enrolled and before the end of the semester or academic year. If you are enrolled in the Fall semester for example, you cannot appeal in the Spring semester unless you have enrolled in Spring as well. To allow appeals to be processed in a timely manner, the last day to submit an appeal is six weeks before the end of a semester.

Please navigate to your CUNYfirst Student Services Center to review your financial aid ‘to-do’ list and any forms/additional paperwork you must submit.

• For 2025-2026 verification forms (including SAI appeals), please navigate to Student Forms. Only committed or continuing Baruch students can access Student Forms.
• For the 2025-2026 Unusual Enrollment History form, please navigate here.