Session 33

The ISIR - What It Is And How To Use It

Devin CroftTom Threlkeld

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Data Flowcompletes FAFSA

CPS School

NSLDS

SSAVA

DHS

COD

SSS

Review ISIRCorrections

Package

Notification

Disburse

Report

R2T4

PIN Student

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Eligibility Overview• Student completes FAFSA• FAFSA processed by CPS• Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)

is determined• School determines eligibility of

student using ISIR/SAR• School awards student based on

COA - EFC = NEEDCOA - EFC = NEED

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ISIR• An electronic output document

containing all information reported on the FAFSA and the resulting EFC

• Sent from CPS to school’s SAIG mailbox• Used by school to determine student’s

Title IV aid eligibility• School must maintain in electronic

format received for record retention period

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Output Documents from CPSStudent receives either:

Paper SAR•Filed paper FAFSA without email address

E-mail notification of SAR •Filed paper FAFSA or FOTW with valid e-

mail address and successful SSN match Paper SAR Acknowledgement

•Filed FOTW without valid e-mail address

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Student Identifier000-00-0000 RA 01• Found on each page of ISIR Student’s SSN First two letters of last name ISIR transaction number

• Changing SSN in question 8 will not change the student identifier

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“C” • Will show next to EFC: 2750 C• Comment on ISIR related to

Database match issue• School must resolve issue before

awarding aid

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Assumptions EFC is calculated• CPS makes a determination of

appropriate answer* to left of ISIR field SAR/ISIR will include comment

code 117

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Rejects No EFC calculated• “Rejects Met” field in FAA

Information section• Alpha reject reason codes

Verifiable• Numeric reject reason codes

Non-verifiable• Responsibility of student to resolve

– Comments explain action necessary for resolution

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Non-verifiable or Verifiable Reject?

a) Student’s SSN match, but name does not.b) Student has an SSN match with Date of Death.c) Taxes paid is > 0 and =/> than AGId) Mother’s SSN contains all zeroes and reported

as a tax filer

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Assumption or Reject?a) Student reports that she is married

and provides spouse’s income but reports only one person in household

b) Student reports not married but provides financial information for spouse

c) Independent student’s household and number in college are reported as 3 or more

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Processed DateFound in “Office Information” Section• Department considers school to

have received ISIR on ISIR processed date ISIR will be in school’s SAIG

mailbox within 24 hours of processing

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Source of Correction FlagFound in “Office Information” section• Identifies source of correction

transaction “A” – applicant “D” – CPS “S” – school

• Federal school indicator is in field below to identify originating school

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Verification Flags Found in “FAA Information” section• Verification Flag

Indicates if student selected on any transaction

Y, N, *• Verification Tracking Flag

Identifies priority for selection based upon likelihood of error

Range is 0001 to 9999•Higher number is higher priority

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FAA Adjustment FlagFound in “FAA Information” section

1 - transaction resulting from a professional judgment

2 – professional judgment adjustment failed

• Resulting transaction will only go to school processing PJ adjustment

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Dependency Override FlagFound in “FAA Information” section

1 – transaction resulting from a dependency override

2 – dependency override failed• Not required to use another school’s

override

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EFC’s• Primary EFC must be used for Title IV

eligibility– Result of full formula unless student

met criteria for simplified needs test• Secondary EFC

– Result of full formula when student met criteria for simplified needs test

– May be used for institutional aid

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EFC’sFound in “FAA Information” section• Provides EFC’s for months 1 through

12, both primary and secondary 9 month EFC always used for Pell

Grant• EFC for number of months in period

of enrollment used for determination of need

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EFC FlagsFound in “FAA Information” section• Auto Zero EFC Flag

“Y” - criteria met• EFC Change Flag

1 – EFC increased 2 – EFC decreased

SNT Flag“Y” - criteria met“N” - criteria not met

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Intermediate ValuesFound in “FAA Information” section• Represent the values calculated in

the EFC calculation• Helpful in understanding the

resulting EFC• Useful in making professional

judgment adjustments to data elements

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Match Flags• Alpha or numeric values that show

results of database matches Appendix B of ISIR Guide explains

required action and corresponding comment code.

• Found in “FAA Information” section

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SSN Match Flags• Match flag code is “SSN”• Matches SSN with Social Security

Administration databaseNumberNameDate of birth

• SSA also checks number against date of death file

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U.S. Citizenship Match Flag• Match flag code is “SSA”• Verifies U.S. citizenship with Social

Security Administration using place of birth

• Citizenship documentation includesBirth certificateU.S. passportNaturalization certificate

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DHS Match Flag• Match flag code is “DHS”• Matches immigration status with

Department of Homeland Security to document eligible non-citizen“Y” – match conducted and

status confirmed“N” – match conducted;

secondary confirmation by DHS in progress

“blank” – match not conducted

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DHS Secondary Confirmation Flag

• Will indicate if school should submit paper G-845S– Requires DHS Verification # found

below Match Flags

• G845S in FSA Handbook, Volume 1, pages 1-31 & 1-32

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Selective Service Match Flag • Match flag code is “SS”

– Registration required for males, ages 18-25

• Student not yet 26 may provide proof of registration or request CPS process registration (FAFSA question 22)

• Student over age 26 must prove failure not knowing and willful

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NSLDS Match Flag• Match flag code is “NSLDS”• Matches student against financial aid

history data in the National Student Loan Data SystemLooks for defaults, discharged

loans, borrowing in excess of loan limits, overpayments

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Veterans Affairs Match Flag• Match flag code is “VA”• Confirms veteran status for

independenceTitle IV definition of veteran is at

least one day of active duty and discharge is other dishonorable

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Parent SSN Match• Match flag code is “Father SSN” and

“Mother SSN”• Matches SSN with Social Security

Administration databaseNumberNameDate of birth

• At least one parent’s SSN must match or FAFSA will reject

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Parent SSN• Parent without SSN must report all

zeroes in SSN field on FAFSAParent without SSN may file tax

return with TIN – report zeroes for SSN on FAFSA

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Remember• You must review all ISIR

transactions received• You must resolve all “C codes”• You must resolve all conflicting

information•Separate process from verification

•Involves any information of which the school has knowledge

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Resources• ISIR Guide• FSA Handbook

Application & Verification Guide (AVG)Volume 1 – Student Eligibility

• FSA Coach (CBT)• FAA Access Demo Site

fafsademo.test.ed.govUser name: eddemo Password: fafsatest

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Contacts

Tom Threlkeld• Phone: (617) 289-0144 • Email: thomas.threlkeld@ed.gov

We appreciate your feedback and comments.We can be reached at:

Devin Croft• Phone: (303) 844-3677 ext. 125 • Email: devin.croft@ed.gov

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Please provide any comments regarding this training or the trainers

to:

Jo Ann BorelTitle IV Training Supervisor

joann.borel@ed.gov202-377-3930