Selective Service Information


Who must register?
  • Male citizens between the ages of 18 and 26
  • Male non-citizens who take up residency in the U.S. before their 26th birthday
  • Dual nationals that fall within the ages of 18 and 26

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What is the reason for requesting documentation?
  • We ask for documentation when there is a code 30 or 33 on the FAFSA, which indicates the student did not register for the Selective Service.
  • This is a federally required item that we must resolve before disbursing federal aid.

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Exemptions to registration
  • Males currently serving active duty in the military
  • Males who are not yet 18 at the time that they complete the FAFSA
  • Citizens of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia
  • Males born before 1960
  • Student was unable to register due to being hospitalized, incarcerated, or institutionalized during entire time student was age 18 to 26
  • Student is enrolled in any officer procurement program at certain universities (see FSA handbook Vol. 1 pg. 58)
  • Student is a commissioned public health service officer on active duty

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Acceptable documentation of exemption
  • Documentation that the student initially entered the country after 26th birthday
  • DD214 showing student served on active duty in the military
  • Selective Service card confirming registration
  • Online verification of registration
  • Letter from Selective Service stating that student is registered or exempt
  • Documentation of other exemption circumstance (i.e., documentation of situation listed in exemptions)

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Status letters from Selective Service
  • If a student cannot document that they were exempt from registration then the student must request a status letter from Selective Service and submit it to the Financial Aid Office.
  • If the status letter from the Selective Service states that the student was not required to register, then we do not need anything further.

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Letters from students showing not knowing and willful
Letters written by students to try and show the failure to register was not knowing and willful will need to include:
  • Where they were living during the time they should have registered
  • If they were incarcerated or institutionalized
  • Citizenship status during the time period
  • What they were doing during this time (i.e., working, going to school, etc...)

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Un-exempt students who did not register
  • A student who cannot document exemption or cannot get a status letter documenting exemption must submit additional documentation to the Financial Aid Office.
  • This documentation is used to determine whether the student's failure to register was not knowing and willful.
  • Additional documentation includes:
    • Documentation of status letter from Selective Service
    • Letter from the student explaining failure to register
    • Documentation of explanation in letter from student as requested by the Financial Aid Office

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Letters from students showing reason for failure to register
  • Letters written to explain failure to register for Selective Service need to include:
    • Where they were living during the time they should have registered (age 18-26)
    • If they were incarcerated or institutionalized
    • Citizenship status during the time period
    • What they were doing during this time (i.e. working, going to school, etc...)
    • Why registration did not occur
  • Letter must be detailed timeline
  • Student must be able to provide documentation of information provided in letter if requested from the Financial Aid Office

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Resources

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