Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is the most accurate option for transferring data to your FAFSA. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education: "The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows students and parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students and parents may transfer the data directly into their FAFSA.

If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, we highly recommend using the tool for several reasons:

1. It’s the easiest way to provide your tax data.
2. It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information.
3. You won’t need to provide a copy of your or your parents’ tax returns to your college.

If you do not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to provide tax information, requests a copy of your tax return or your parent’s tax return, you may be required to obtain an official tax transcript from the IRS.

In order to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool:

1. Enter your FSA ID* and select "Link to IRS."
2. Your FAFSA will be saved and you will be transferred to the IRS website.
3. On the IRS website, enter the requested information.
4. Once the IRS has validated your identification, your IRS tax information will be displayed. You can either transfer your information from the IRS or choose to return to FAFSA on the web from the IRS website. If you do not transfer your information or choose not to return it from the IRS website, you will have to log in to open your saved FAFSA.
5. If you'd transfer your IRS tax information, questions that are populated with tax information will be marked with “Transferred from the IRS.”

*You will not be asked to enter your FSA ID if you entered an FSA ID to begin your FAFSA.

In cases of verification, the U.S. Department of Education no longer allows the use of signed tax returns alone. Official tax transcripts are required. 

Order a tax transcript or get FAFSA help. If you have questions, please contact Financial Aid by phone at 757.446.5804 or by email at finaid@evms.edu.

Review your FAFSA results (student aid report) for accuracy after your application has been processed. The comments section of your student aid report will indicate if you have been selected for verification.

Verification is required on approximately one in three FAFSA applications. The items verified can vary each year as dictated by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. A portion of the verification requirement is satisfied by your Financial Aid and Scholarship Application and your official federal tax transcript, but other documentation or processes may be required. Please comply within 15 days of all requests concerning verification made by Financial Aid. Failure to comply in a timely manner will result in a hold on any processing of any federal or institutional financial aid award pending receipt of needed information.

If you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool successfully to transfer your federal tax information to your FAFSA, it is not necessary to provide the official tax transcript. In certain situations, it is not possible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. In those situations, if you are selected for verification, you will need to provide an official tax transcript as mentioned above. Order a tax transcript.

There is U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII financial aid available only for MD students. Available Title VII financial aid includes Loans for Disadvantaged Students and Primary Care Loans. Please review the HRSA site for details on eligibility.

To apply:

1. Indicate your interest in your online Financial Aid and Scholarship Application.
2. For Loans for Disadvantaged Students only:
   • write a brief essay explaining why you qualify (economic or environmental);  
   • provide your parents' financial information on your FAFSA and one parent's signature via his or her FAFSA PIN;  
   • provide a signed copy of your parent's tax return for the appropriate year;
     • If your parents did not and were not required to file federal taxes, they must complete the non-filer statement.
   • provide a parent's asset statement and 
   • provide a signed copy of your federal tax return transcript for the information provided on the FAFSA (if you did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer your data).
     • If you did not and were not required to file a federal tax return, provide a student's non-filer statement. 

Primary Care Loans are based on your commitment to serve as a primary care physician following your education.

Both loans carry a low interest rate and interest subsidies while enrolled and in residency. Only Loans for Disadvantaged Students may be consolidated with other federal education loans and thus may be eligible for public service loan forgiveness and/or income-based repayment options. 

Please contact Financial Aid by phone at 757.446.5804 or by email at finaid@evms.edu with any questions you have about the application process.