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Section 5: Financial Aid:
Financial Aid Application Process and FAFSA

Walden University’s FAFSA Title IV code is 025042. 

Students will need the code when filling out their FAFSA.

Financial Aid Application Process

  • Students fill out the 2022–2023 FAFSA if they started their program on or after May 31, 2022.
  • Students fill out the 2022–2023 FAFSA if they start their program on or after May 29, 2023. 
  • The 2023-2024 FAFSA will be available on October 1, 2022.

Applying for federal financial assistance is a two-part process consisting of (1) completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and notification of eligibility, and (2) acceptance of the financial aid offer and completion of the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and entrance counseling. This process takes approximately two to four weeks from the initial application through the receipt of funds. New students are strongly encouraged to complete the FAFSA at the same time they are applying for admission. Continuing students are required to complete a renewal FAFSA for each award year they are enrolled.  A good practice is to complete the renewal FAFSA when it becomes available in October, but at least 8 weeks prior to each award year renewal date.

Walden University strongly suggests that all students who are eligible and who filed a federal tax return use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when filling out their FAFSA on the web. Using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool may expedite the verification and financial aid offer process.

Verification Policy

In accordance with U.S. Department of Education regulations, Walden University is required to verify the accuracy of financial aid application information for selected students. The U.S. Department of Education and/or Walden University may randomly select students for verification or may select students based on predetermined criteria. Students selected for verification are required to submit additional information. Additional information for the verification process may include but is not limited to the following: IRS tax return transcripts / signed 1040 tax return and schedules, W-2s, IRS verification of non-filing, official proof of High School Completion Status (prior to the 2022-2023 award year), identification documents, and a signed Statement of Educational Purpose. If a student is selected for verification, the documents that they will need to submit to the Office of Financial Aid will be scheduled on their myFinAid document portal. There are a few ways students can request a tax return transcript if they do not have a copy of their IRS 1040 Tax Return: online at the IRS website, by calling 1-800-908-9946, or by mailing the paper IRS Form 4506T-EZ, which can be printed out from the IRS website. Students can obtain an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter by mailing the paper IRS Form 4506-T, which is also located on the IRS website. If a student is having difficulty obtaining the required tax documents, they should contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Once the required documents are received in the Office of Financial Aid, the normal processing time is up to 10 business days to review documents and receive FAFSA corrections. Participation in the verification process is not optional and financial aid offers cannot be determined until verification is complete. If students do not complete the verification process by the end of the enrollment period, they will not be able to receive federal financial assistance for that award year.

Upon reviewing a student’s verification documentation, the Office of Financial Aid will correct their FAFSA if any information was reported in error. Students will be notified via email to their Walden University email account or through messaging on their myFinAid Document portal if they must make a correction to their FAFSA or, as a result of completing the verification process, their expected family contribution (EFC) changes and results in a change to their offer amount.

On July 13, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education waived verification of income data elements, taxes paid, household size, or number in college on a 2021–2022 FAFSA.

On May 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education waived verification of income data elements, taxes paid, household size, and number in college on a 2022-23 FAFSA

Unless a student is subject to these waivers, a student whose FAFSA information is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education must complete the verification process before the Office of Financial Aid can make any changes to their cost of attendance (COA) or to the values of the data items required to calculate their expected family contribution (EFC).

Please note that Walden University must, per federal regulations, review any conflicting information that may impact a student’s Title IV eligibility and has the right to request verification of income data elements, taxes paid, household size, number in college, or any additional documentation if needed for resolution.

Please be aware that if students intentionally misreport information and/or alter documentation for the purpose of increasing aid eligibility or fraudulently obtaining federal funds, they will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education Office of the Inspector General or to local law enforcement officials.

Unusual Enrollment History Flag

The U.S. Department of Education added the Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) Flag to the ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record) to indicate whether students have an unusual enrollment history in regard to the receipt of Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan funds (not including a Direct Consolidation Loan, Perkins Loan or a Parent PLUS loan). The U.S. Department of Education enforced this process to determine if recipients were enrolling with the sole purpose of collecting Title IV credit balances. Students may be required to submit additional documentation to determine federal financial aid eligibility at Walden.