Selective Service CHAPTER

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Anyone required to register with Selective Service at any time must have done so in order to re-
ceive SFA aid. The Department performs a match with Selective Service to confirm a student’s
registration. In this chapter, we discuss the registration requirement and the Selective Service
match.

GENERAL INFORMATION Selective Service Requirement

Cites
M en who are from age 18 through 25 are required to register with
the Selective Service System. This requirement covers both
citizens of the United States and most other men residing in the
34 CFR 668.32(j), 668.37

United States, except that a man who is in the United States as a lawful
nonimmigrant isn’t required to register as long as he maintains that Age and Registration
status. There are exceptions to the registration requirement, as The student can be registered with Selective
discussed under “Exemptions,” page 88. Only students are required to Service as early as 30 days before his 18th
register for Selective Service to be eligible for SFA funds. Parents who birthday; if the student is too young Selec-
want to borrow a PLUS loan don’t have to meet the registration tive Service will hold the registration until
requirement. the student is within 30 days of his 18th
birthday. Students 26 and older can’t be
registered.
The Department provides some convenient ways for the student to
register. There’s a question on the application that asks if the student
wants Selective Service to register him. By answering “Yes”, the student
gives the Department of Education permission to submit his
registration information to the Selective Service so that the student
may be registered.5 A student can also ask to be registered by changing
the answer to this question on the SAR to “Yes” and submitting the
correction. The student may also go directly to the Selective Service
web site at <http://www.sss.gov> and register online.

In some cases, a student will not be able to register using the

FAFSA or SAR. Generally, however, a male student who is between 18
and 26 and who has not registered previously may use this method.
Students who have questions about Selective Service registration may
contact the Selective Service at 1-847-688-6888 or at
<http://www.sss.gov>.

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If the student doesn’t also answer “Yes” to the question “Are you male?” Selective Service won’t register the student if his first name matches its female name table.

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Exemptions Cite EXEMPTIONS
34 CFR 668.37(a)(2)
M en6 exempted from the requirement to register include:

• males currently in the armed services and on active duty (this

Exemption Examples exception does not apply to members of the Reserve and
Tod has been on active duty in the Army National Guard who are not on active duty);
from the time he was 18, and didn’t regis-
ter with Selective Service before he joined the • males who are not yet 18 at the time that they complete their
Army. He’s now 24, is planning to leave applications (an update is not required during the year, even if a
the Army, and wants to receive financial student turns 18 after completing the application);
aid. If he applies while he’s still on active
duty, he doesn’t need to be registered with
• males born before 1960; and
Selective Service. Once he leaves, he must
be registered, or else he won’t be able to re-
ceive aid in later years. In most cases, • citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of
when someone completes an enlistment con- the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau
tract he is automatically registered, so Tod
is probably already registered even though • noncitizens who first entered the U.S. after they turned 26;
he didn’t complete a separate registration
form. • noncitizens who entered the U.S. as lawful nonimmigrants on a
valid visa and remained in the U.S. on the terms of that visa
George was enrolled in an officer procure- until after they turned 26.
ment program at the Virginia Military In-
stitute; he started a month before he turned
There are certain less common situations in which registration isn’t
18. When he was 22, he had a serious ac-
necessary. Students who weren’t required to register prior to meeting
cident and was hospitalized; he officially
dropped out of school a month after he was one of these criteria and who meet a criterion for the entire time
hospitalized. Due to his injuries, he was through the age of 25 qualify for the waiver if
hospitalized for four years. Because he
qualified for a waiver for the entire time he • they are unable to register due to being hospitalized,
was 18 through 25, he was not required to incarcerated, or institutionalized;
register with Selective Service.
• they are enrolled in any officer procurement program at The
Citadel, North Georgia College, Norwich University, or Virginia
Status Information Letter Codes Military Institute; or
The Selective Service has a number of dif-
ferent types of Status Information Letters. • they are commissioned Public Health Service officers on active
Copies of the letters are included at the end duty or members of the Reserve of the Public Health Service on
of this chapter. A code appears in the lower specified active duty.
left-hand corner to indicate the type of letter
in question. The codes are listed here. If the student isn’t required to register, the school must document
• E1-E7. A letter with any of these codes in- the student’s status. If the student isn’t clearly exempt from the
dicates that the student was not required to requirement to register, the school should ask the student to
register or was exempt the entire time he
document the exemption by providing the school with a Status
could have registered (ages 18 through 25).
Information Letter from the Selective Service.
• NR. A letter with this code indicates that
the student was born before 1960 and is
therefore not required to register. As mentioned above, noncitizens who first enter the U. S. after the
• RR. A letter with this code indicates that age of 26 aren’t required to register. Only those immigrant men who
the student said he attempted to register but enter and live in the U.S. at ages 18 through 25 are required to be
that Selective Service has no proof that he registered. If a male immigrant can show proof that he first entered
attempted to register. the U.S. when he was past registration age, he is clearly not required to
be registered, and no Status Information Letter is needed. The

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Whether a person is a male or female is a matter for medical determination. If a school needs to determine whether a student is male or female for Selective Service pur-
poses, the school should tell the student to write to Selective Service for a Status Information Letter.

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 Ch. 5—Selective Service
• NM. A letter with this code indicates that
student’s entry documentation is enough to show whether he was the student did not register although he
required to register. was on active duty in the armed forces only
for a portion of the time when he could
have registered (between ages 18 through
SELECTIVE SERVICE MATCH 25) and was, therefore, required to register.
• RL. A letter with this code indicates that
T o check that students who must be registered actually are
registered, the CPS performs a match with the Selective Service
System. The CPS provides a match flag showing the match results in
the student was required to register, that the
Selective Service has no record of his regis-
tration, and that Selective Service records
the FAA Information section of the output document. In addition, the
show he was sent one or more letters re-
output document has a comment about the match results.
questing his compliance with the registra-
tion requirement during the period he was
Successful Matches required to be registered.
If the match shows that the student is registered or exempt, a • RD. A letter with this code indicates that
comment confirming this fact will be on the student’s output the student provided a reason for not regis-
document. The student is then eligible for SFA aid. tering (or provided documentation proving
him exempt from this requirement) but that
The student is also eligible for aid if the match shows that the the Selective Service determined the reason
student is still too young to register. If the student asked to be or documentation to be invalid; therefore,
registered, Selective Service will hold onto that registration request this code indicates that the student was re-
until 30 days before the student’s 18th birthday, and will then register quired to register but did not.
the student.

Finally, the student is also eligible if the CPS successfully forwarded Match Flags for Successful Match
the student’s name to Selective Service for registration. Y, T

Unsuccessful Matches
If the match didn’t confirm the student’s registration, or the Comments for Successful Match
student couldn’t be registered, the output document will have a 26, 29, 28, 31
comment about the problem. A “C” flag will also be printed next to
the student’s EFC. Until the student resolves the registration problem,
the school can’t pay SFA funds to the student and can’t certify or
Match Flags for Unsuccessful
originate a loan. Match
N, blank
Registration not confirmed
If the match showed that the student wasn’t registered, the student
must either register or provide evidence that he is registered or is
exempt from registration. The student’s Selective Service Registration Comments for Unsuccessful
Match
Acknowledgement or letter of registration shows that the student is
30, 57, 33
registered. The school can also go to the Selective Service web site at
<http://www.sss.gov> and check on the student’s registration status.
The school can print out the web page as documentation that the
student is registered. If the student doesn’t have an acknowledgement
or letter of registration, and the web site doesn’t confirm his
registration, he’ll have to contact Selective Service to resolve the
problem. If the conflict is resolved in the student’s favor, he’ll receive a
letter from the Selective Service documenting that he is registered or
that he is exempt from registering.

Unsuccessful registration
The CPS won’t be able to forward the student for registration if
certain information (first and last name and date of birth) is missing.
The student should submit a correction with the required information;

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Unsuccessful Registration Ex- the school then looks at the match results from this correction to see if
ample the student is eligible.
On his FAFSA, Hector asks the CPS to for-
ward his information to the Selective Ser-
The registration forwarding will also fail if the student is 26 or
vice for registration. However, he’s over 26,
older. Such a student can’t register, and the school will have to
so the Selective Service can’t register him.
His output document comes back with a determine if the student is still eligible despite failing to register (see
blank match flag and comment 33. Hector “Failure to Register”).
didn’t enter the U.S. until after his 26th
birthday, so he doesn’t have to be registered.
Guerrero University already has informa- FAILURE TO REGISTER
tion about his citizenship status, including
the date he arrived in the U.S., so it has
documentation that Hector is exempt from
S ome students have been denied aid because they failed to register
with the Selective Service before their 26th birthday. (The Selective
Service will register only males age 18 through 25, leaving older
registration. The FAA at Guerrero explains students with no way to remedy their situation if they failed to register.)
to Hector that he wasn’t required to register The Military Selective Service Act was amended to require a school,
with Selective Service because he didn’t im-
under certain conditions, to pay otherwise eligible students who are 26
migrate to the U.S. until after his 26th
or older and who did not register when required. To receive aid, such
birthday.
students must demonstrate that they did not knowingly and willfully
fail to register.

Failure to Register Cite The Department of Education’s regulations also allow students
34 CFR 668.37(d), (e) who did not register and are too old to register to receive aid if they
served on active duty in the armed forces. (It is presumed that a
person who has actually served in the armed forces is not trying to
avoid registering for duty.) The school should obtain such a student’s
DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,”
showing military service in the armed forces with other than the
reserve forces, the Delayed Entry pool, and the National Guard and
release under a condition other than dishonorable.

The school must determine whether a student who has not served
in active duty knowingly and willfully failed to register. That is, the
school must determine if the student knew of the registration
requirement but, nevertheless, chose not to register. The school’s
decision is final and cannot be appealed to the Department of
Education.

Determining if Nonregistration was Knowing and Willful

Unless the school can document that the student meets one of the
allowable exemptions regarding registration or can document that the
student has served in active duty in the armed forces, the student must
first write to the Selective Service so that he may receive a Status
Information Letter addressing his failure to register. The student
should provide as complete a description about his situation as
possible: where he was living during the period when he should have
registered, whether he was incarcerated or institutionalized, his
citizenship status during the period, if applicable, and so on.

If the student receives a “general exemption letter” (codes E1-E7)

or a “DOB before 1960” letter (code NR), the student is exempt from
registration and may receive SFA funds. If the student receives any
other type of letter, the school must determine (based on all relevant
evidence) whether the student knowingly and willfully failed to

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 Ch. 5—Selective Service

Selective Service Match

Result Match “C” code or Comment Action needed

flag rejected number and text
application
Registration or Y 029 Your registration or None
exemption your exemption status has
confirmed by been confirmed by Selective
Selective Service Service.

Applicant not in N C code 030 The Selective Service Before the school can pay
Selective Service reported that you have not the student, the school
database registered with them. If you are must have proof that the
female or were born before 1960, student is exempt or the
please contact your FAA. student must provide
Otherwise, a male who is required confirmation that he is
to register with Selective Service registered (that is, his
must be registered before aid can Selective Service
be disbursed. If you have not yet Registration
registered, are male, and are 18 Acknowledgement or
through 25 years of age, you must letter of registration).
either answer “Yes” to both Items
29 and 30 on Part 2 of your SAR, or
obtain and complete a Selective
Service Registration form,
available at your local post office.
If you believe you have already
registered or are exempt, please
contact the Selective Service at
847-688-6888 to resolve any
problems regarding your
registration status.
Student too T 026 Selective Service None; an update is not
young to be records indicate that you are not required during the year.
required to required to be registered with
register them until within 30 days of your
18th birthday. If you have not yet
initiated the registration process,
you may either answer “Yes” to
both Items 29 and 30 on Part 2
of your SAR or obtain and
complete a Selective Service
Registration form, available at
your local post office. If you have
already requested that you be
registered, they will process your
request 30 days prior to your
18th birthday.

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Selective Service Registration

Result Match “C” code or Comment Action needed

flag rejected number and text
application
Name forwarded Y 031 We have forwarded your None
to Selective name to Selective Service for
Service for registration, as you requested.
registration

Name forwarded T 028 We have forwarded your None

to Selective name to Selective Service for
Service for registration, as you requested.
registration, They will process your
student not old registration request 30 days prior
enough to to your 18th birthday.
register
Student asked to blank C code 033 We could not send your If the student is younger than
be registered, name to Selective Service as you 26, the student should make
but either is too requested because you did not corrections and provide the
old or did not give us enough information, you missing information (first
provide enough are past the age limit for name, last name, or date of
information registration, or you did not sign birth). The school should check
your form. If you are at least 18 the new output document for
but not yet 26, you may register registration results.
by answering “Yes” to both Items
29 and 30 on your SAR. You must If the student is 26 or older, he
also provide information for Items can receive aid if the school
1, 2, and 9. You may also register has proof that he is exempt, or
by obtaining and completing a if he can provide evidence of
Selective Service Registration registration. If the student is
form available at your local post not registered or exempt, he
office. If you are a male who has can only receive aid if the
reached age 26, you cannot use school determines that he did
the SAR to register. You must not knowingly and willfully fail
contact Selective Service at 847- to register. (See “Failure to
688-6888 to resolve your Register,” page 90.)
registration status before you can
receive Federal student aid. You
are exempt from registering if
born before 1960.

Name N 057 We forwarded your Before the school can pay the
forwarded to name to Selective Service for student, it must have proof
Selective registration, as you requested. that the student is exempt or
Service for However, Selective Service did the student must provide
registration, but not complete registration for you confirmation that he is
Selective because you did not answer “Yes” registered (that is, his Selective
Service did not to Item 29. If you are male and Service Registration
complete have not yet registered, you may Acknowledgment or letter of
registration register by answering “Yes” to registration).
process. both Items 29 and 30 on your
SAR. You may also register by
obtaining and completing a
Selective Service Registration
Form, available at your local post
office.
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 Ch. 5—Selective Service

register. The letter from Selective Service is part of the relevant

evidence. For example, if the student received a letter indicating a
compliance letter had been sent (code RL), this letter would be a
negative factor when the school makes the determination. If the
student received a “Military Service: Noncontinuous” letter (code
NM), the school might reasonably determine that the student did not
knowingly and willfully avoid registration.

Most of the Status Information Letters state that the final decision
regarding the student eligibility rests with the agency awarding funds.
For the purposes of the SFA Programs, the decision is made by the
school, which represents the Department of Education. If the school’s
financial aid administrator determines that the student’s failure to
register was knowing and willful, the student loses SFA eligibility.

The school’s decision is final and therefore cannot be appealed to

the Department of Education. However, the Department will hear
appeals from students who have provided their schools with proof of
compliance with the registration requirement (i.e., that they are
registered or exempt from registration) but who are still being denied
federal student aid based on the registration requirement.

When deciding whether the student had knowingly and willfully

failed to register, the school should consider the following factors:

• Where the student lived when he was age 18 to 25. For example,
if a student was living abroad, it is more plausible that he would
not come into contact with the requirement for registration.

• Whether the student claims that he thought he was registered.

Mistakes in recordkeeping can occur. Correspondence
indicating an attempt to register could form a basis for
determining that the student did not knowingly and willfully fail
to register. On the other hand, a letter from Selective Service
stating that it received no response to correspondence sent to
the student at a correct address would be a negative factor.

• Why the student was not aware of the widely publicized

requirement to register when he was age 18 through 25.

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