Verification
A number of financial aid applicants, selected by both the federal government and Baruch College’s Financial Aid Services, may be required to document their household size, number in college, income, taxes paid, and assets. Students chosen for verification will not have their financial aid awards calculated until this process is completed and any conflicting information is resolved. Baruch College is required to refer all cases of suspected fraud to the U.S. Department of Education Office of the Inspector General.
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.
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.
- 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.
- For 2024-2025 verification forms, please navigate to Student Forms. Only committed or continuing Baruch students can access Student Forms.
- For the 2024-2025 Unusual Enrollment History form, please navigate here.