1. The Financial Aid C-Flag Selective Service Process
The Solution Center
The Financial Aid
C-Flag Selective Service Process

2. Objective How to identify a Selective Service C-Flag
What you will learn?
How to identify a Selective Service C-Flag
What acceptable documentation is required
How to receive documents
How to identify the C-Flag has been resolved

3. Eligibility Requirements
Male students between the ages of 18 and 25 must be registered with Selective Service System (SSS) to be eligible for financial aid

4. How to Register with SSS
Request record to be sent electronically to Selective Service to process registration via FAFSA
Register online at the Selective Service website (
Complete registration form at any local post office

5. Who is NOT Required to Register?
Females
Males currently in the armed services and on active duty (this exception does not apply to members of the Reserve and National Guard who are not on active duty)
Males who are not yet 18 at the time that they complete their applications (Student is temporarily exempt during the year; an update is not required during the year, even if a student turns 18 after completing the application)
Males born before 1960
Citizens of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia*
Noncitizens who first entered the U.S. after they turned 26
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 until after they turned 26
Transgender males who were assigned the sex of female at birth do not have to register. (If the student was born a male, they are required to register)

6. FAFSA Matches
Central Processing System (CPS) performs a match with the SSS to determine if relevant students are registered
Unsuccessful matches results generate an ISIR Comment Code and C-Flag

7. Successful Match
Successful matches generate a “Registration Status Confirmed’ under database matches, but no comment code
View Database matches on FA ISIR Corrections Page, fourth tab

8. Unsuccessful Matches
Comment Code 030: SS Registration not confirmed; student must either register or provide acceptable documentation to FAO
View comment codes and database match flag on FA ISIR Corrections Page, third/fourth tab

9. Forward Record to SSS SSS Flag Comment Code
Comment Code 031: Students who requested to be registered for SSS via the FAFSA form will have the following flag and comment codes:
SSS Flag
Comment Code

10. C-Flag Checklist
Checklist Assign Mod assigns “Selective Service Registration” checklist to students with a unsuccessful match
View checklists on FA Status Page

11. Acceptable Documentation
Student must provide the FAO with documentation proving their registration or exemption from registration
Documents from every situation may be carried forward from year to year
Acceptable forms of documentation include, but are not limited to:
Eligible to Register (18-25yrs old):
Selective Service Registration Acknowledgement
Selective Service Letter of Registration
Selective Service Letter stating student is exempt from registering

12. Acceptable Documentation (cont.)
Exempt from Registering:
Passport showing student entered the USA after the age of 26
A “general exemption letter” (codes E1-E8) or a “DOB before 1960” letter (code NR)
copy of his DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” showing military service in the armed forces
Required to Register and Did Not:
A Foreign Passport or Letter from Selective Service showing they were required to register and then appeal this
A personal statement summarizing that they did not "knowingly or willfully" fail to register. In this statement they may address where they were living during the time they were required to register, and why they were unaware of the requirement

13. Acceptable Documentation (cont.)
School Certification:
The school may use the Selective Service System web page at to confirm the student’s status
A printout of the web page is acceptable documentation that the student is registered

14. Notifications
Student receives a Missing Information Letter (MIL) notification from Financial Aid Office requesting proof of Selective Service Registration.
MIL notifications are sent to the Student’s UMass Lowell Account every 21 days until completed
Students may also view missing items under iSiS self-service “To Do List” at anytime

15. How to Receive the Document
Team member must:
Review document for validity (does not have to be original)
Confirm personal statements are signed and dated by student
Stamp “date”
Update Checklist status to “received”

16. Verify C-Flag Cleared by FAO
Checklist status is “Completed”
Selective Service override flag checked
Comment indicating type of documentation provided and reviewed