There are changes to the 2020-2021 verification process for Charter Oak students. Specifically, Charter Oak has partnered with Inceptia to expedite the verification process for students and their families. If your 2020-2021 FAFSA application is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, you will use Inceptia’s verification online portal to complete the review of your FAFSA data.
The process of verification will begin with an introductory email from Inceptia sent from VGCS@inceptia.org. It will be sent to the email address listed on your FAFSA application. If you did not provide an email address, you will receive a postcard instead. The postcard will be sent to the mailing address listed on your FAFSA application. Regardless of how you receive the introductory communication from Inceptia, please note that it is legitimate.
To begin the verification process, you will follow the custom school link which will be included in the introductory communication and to access Inceptia’s Verification Gateway. You will need to create a student account to begin the process and will do the following:
- Confirm your identity (authentication).
- Create a secure user name and password.
- Decide if you want to receive text messages and approve to e-sign.
- Access your Action List and begin the verification process (the list may consist of some combination of online forms and the request to upload specific documents to the Verification Gateway).
*Please note that dependent students who provide parental information on the FAFSA application are required to have one parent authenticate and create an account. This parent will be required to e-sign or provide an ink signature once all documentation has been submitted via the verification gateway.
Inceptia will begin the verification process once all documents required for verification are received. Most students can expect the review of their FAFSA data to take seven days. The process may take longer for students who need to submit additional paperwork, clarify information, or whose FAFSA data has to be corrected. Therefore, it is very important for students to begin the verification process as quickly as possible after receiving the introductory email from Inceptia which will be sent from vgcsinceptia.org.
Since verification of student data will no longer be processed in-house by the Office of Financial Aid, all paperwork must be submitted directly to Inceptia. Students with questions about the verification process for academic year 2020-2021 are encouraged to contact Inceptia, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 (CST), at 888-374-847 or by email at vgcs@inceptia.org.
Students who are not selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education.
Students whose FAFSA applications are institutionally selected for verification by Charter Oak, will receive information directly from the Office of Financial Aid. This includes students who request a second look of their FAFSA data and students requesting a dependency override.