1. FAFSA/ISIR Training Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Institutional Student Information Record

2. What Is FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Developed and administered by the U.S. Department of Education
All students are expected to contribute towards the cost of their college education
How much depends on the students financial situation – referred to as Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Based on needs analysis
Income
Assets
Household size
Number in college

3. FAFSA Eligibility
Nearly every student is eligible for some form of financial aid
Must be
U.S. citizen, U.S. national or eligible non-citizen
Have a valid Social Security Number
Have a high school diploma or GED
Are registered with the U.S Selective Service (if male aged 18-25)
Complete a FAFSA promising to use any federal aid for educational purposes
Do not owe refunds on any federal student grants
Are not in default on any student loans
Have not been found guilty of the sale or possession of illegal drugs during a period in which federal aid was being received

4. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
To be consider for Federal financial aid – student must complete and submit FAFSA application
Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Perkins
Direct Subsidized Loan
Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Parent PLUS Loan
Grad PLUS Loan
Work-study

5. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
To be consider for State grants/scholarships – student must complete and submit FAFSA application
College Access Program (CAP)
Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG)
Go Higher Grant
Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program
Early Childhood Development Scholarship (ECDS)
Coal County Scholarship for Pharmacy Students

6. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
Student can submit FAFSA
Electronically at

7. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
Paper FAFSA
Student can order from the Federal Student Aid Information Center
800-4-FEDAID ( )
PDF available at the FAFSA on the Web Site
Can print, complete by hand, and mail --or-- type data, print, and mail
Financial Planning Department can order up to 50 copies at

8. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
FAA Access to CPS Online
Submit at
Student (and parent) must sign signature page or complete and sign FAFSA application
Retain signed signature page/summary or signed FAFSA in student folder even if student decided not to attend
FAFSA on the phone
Student can call
Typically takes an half an hour to complete
Student will receive SAR in 7 to 10 days
Student (and parent) must sign and return

9. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
The PIN
Student must have a Personal Identification Number (PIN)
Student can apply for a PIN at

10. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
PIN allows student to
access and electronically sign a renewal FAFSA on the Web
correct their FAFSA information online, including using the IRS Data Retrieval tool to populate tax-related fields
view their SAR online and print it
review their financial aid history as maintained in the National
Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
Access Direct loan information and tools, including entrance counseling at exit counseling at and the consolidation website at
electronically sign master promissory notes at and TEACH grant agreements to serve at and complete the PLUS request process at

11. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step
CPS process FAFSA application
Match student’s data against several agency databases
NSLDS
Department of Defense
Department of Justice
Social Security Administration
Department of Homeland Security
Selective Service System
Department of Veteran Affairs’
CPS check for inconsistencies and mistakes

12. Applying for Aid – FAFSA Is First Step

13. Output Documents from FAFSA
Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR)
--and
Student Aid Report (SAR)

14. What Is An ISIR ISIR – Institutional Student Information Record
Generated once student complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Sent electronically to the school only if school listed on FAFSA
Imported into System of Record, CampusVue
Can request ISIR from DOE if you have student’s Data Release Number (DRN)
Indicates any questionable results from the eligibility matches through comment codes and text
Must be resolved prior to disbursing Title IV funds or State grants/scholarships
Valid ISIR is required to determine student eligibility for Title IV funds as well as State grants/scholarships

15. ISIR - Example

16. What Is a SAR Student Aid Report (SAR)
Paper or electronic document sent to the student by CPS
Snapshot of FAFSA application student submitted
Provides student with basic information regarding their eligibility for Federal student aid
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Data Release Number (DRN)
If student may be eligible for Pell Grant
C Code
Required actions – corrections needed
Student should review and make corrections via FAFSA on the Web (
Provides Graduation/Retention/Transfer Rates for each school
Provides Total Amount of Loans Outstanding

17. SAR Example

18. ISIR Cover Page Contains information related to a student.
Demographic information
Name
Mailing address
Eligibility determination information
Transaction process date
EFC
Comment codes and text
Central Processing System (CPS) adds comment codes and text to the student’s transaction to provide information to the student and to FAA about the student’s processed FAFSA
Possible Pell eligibility
C Code
Verification selection
Reject code
Action required
Transaction process code
SAR comment codes and text for 2014/2015

19. Cover of ISIR – Example

20. Corrections Can be made by
Student
School
CPS
Change must be made to at least one data element
Common changes
Address
Adding school code
Transactions greater than 30 are REJECTED

21. Highlights and Assumptions
CPS makes assumptions and does not reject the student’s record in some situations.
Example: A student reports that he or she is married and provides spouse’s income, but reports only one person in the household.
CPS most often makes assumptions when questions are left blank.
ISIR displays an h (for highlight) next to the items on which assumptions were made.

22. Highlights and Assumptions
CPS highlights and does reject the student’s record in some situations
Example: An independent student answers that he or she is not married but provides financial information for a spouse.
CPS does not calculate an EFC because key financial information is conflicting
ISIR will indicate with reject code 11

23. Highlights and Assumptions
Example: A student enters income taxes equal to or greater than the amount reported for adjusted gross income.
CPS does not calculate an EFC because key financial information is conflicting
ISIR will indicate with Reject Code 3 – Comment Code 114
Conflicting information must be resolved in order to generate EFC

24. Transactions
A transaction is an interaction between the CPS and a financial aid applicant or a school that changes any of the data on a student’s record.
Each transaction results in a new ISIR and SAR, and is identified by a two-digit transaction number
Example: 01, 02, or 03

25. Transactions – ISIR

26. Transactions A transaction may be system-generated.
Example: When a student’s eligibility for federal student aid changes on the NSLDS, the CPS automatically processes the application information and generates a new transaction without additional input from the student or from a school.
These system-generated transactions are automatically sent (or pushed) to the destination point.
CPS Pushed ISIR Flag
Located under FAA – middle of 3rd page, right hand side

27. Dependency Status Results
Located top right column of the second page of the ISIR

28. Transaction Data Source/Type Code
The Transaction Data Source/Type code identifies a FAFSA processor or other source of the transaction. Can be located on page 3 upper right side under Office Information.

29. Source of Correction
The Source of Correction Flag is a field that is set on each correction transaction and indicates the source of the correction. Can be located on page 3 upper right hand side.

30. Pell Eligible Flag
Data is found in the Pell Elig Flag field on the ISIR. Can be located on page 3 bottom left hand side.
A Y confirms that a student’s EFC and undergraduate status makes them eligible for a Pell Grant.

31. SAR C Code Flags
If the SAR C Flag is set or removed from the transaction being corrected, the field will contain the value Y. Can be located on page 3 bottom right hand side.

32. Common C Code Flags SSN Citizenship Selective Service Default
Overpayment
Pell
FSEOG
Perkins
Teach Grant
Veteran status
Bankruptcy
Unusual Enrollment History (UEH)
Note: In rare cases, the C-Flag is provided on an ISIR/SAR without a corresponding comment. This would happen only if the applicant receives an excessive number of comments (including C-Flag comments) and some of the comments must be suppressed so that a SAR/ISIR can be generated.

33. How To Identify A C Code

34. How To Identify A C Code

35. Snapshot
The FAFSA is intended to be a snapshot of the student and parent’s situation “as of the date” he or she completed the application. Students and parents should not change their answers to these questions unless the data originally submitted was incorrect as of the date the application was submitted.

37. Reference
The ISIR Guide, October U.S. Department of Education. Federal Student Aid ISIRGuide.pdf