Session FF-06

The ISIR - What It Is And How To Use It

Thomas ThrelkeldU.S. Department of Education

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Eligibility Overview

• Student completes FAFSA• FAFSA processed by Central Processing

System (CPS)• Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is

determined• School determines eligibility of student

using ISIR• School awards student based on

COA - EFC = NEEDCOA - EFC = NEED

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ISIR

Institutional Student Information Record• 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 Student Aid Report (SAR)•Filed paper FAFSA without email address

E-mail notification of SAR •Filed paper FAFSA, FOTW, or FAA Access

with valid e-mail address and successful SSN match

Paper SAR Acknowledgement•Filed FOTW or FAA Access without valid e-

mail address

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Student Identifier

000-00-0000 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-Flag • “C” will show next to EFC: 1866 C• Comment on ISIR related to

Database match issue Drug conviction question

• 2008-2009 comment codes that generate C-Flag listed on page B-56 of ISIR Guide

• School must resolve issue before awarding aid

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* Shows Verification Selection

• * will show next to EFC: 1866*

• School must complete verification unless exercising the 30% option or school is part of Quality Assurance program

• Comment codes 170 & 171 indicate verification selection. Text may/may not appear on first page of ISIR.

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AssumptionsEFC is calculated• CPS makes a determination of

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

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RejectsNo 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 matches, but name does notb) Student has an SSN match with Date of Deathc) Income earned meets IRS minimums and reported

not filing income tax returnd) 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 Date

Found 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 Flag

Found in “Office Information” section• Identifies source of correction transaction

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

• Federal school code 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 0999•Higher number is higher priority

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Professional Judgment Flag

Found in “FAA Information” section 1 – EFC adjustment processed on this

transaction 2 – EFC adjustment requested but failed

on this transaction• 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 - FAA cancelled dependency override 3 - dependency override failed Blank – no override

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’s

Found 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 Blank – criteria not met

• EFC Change Flag 1 – EFC increased 2 – EFC decreased Blank – no change in EFC

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

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Intermediate Values

Found 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 includes Birth certificate U.S. passport Naturalization 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-845 Requires DHS Verification # found

below Match Flags

• G-845 in 2008-2009 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 that failure to register was 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 System Looks 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 independence• Title IV definition of veteran

At least one day of active duty AND Character of discharge is other than

dishonorable National Guard and Reserve members

must have been on active duty for other than training purpose

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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 FAFSA Parent 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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Contact Information

Your feedback and comments are appreciated.

Thomas ThrelkeldTraining Officer617-289-0144thomas.threlkeld@ed.gov