Anyone required to register with Selective Service
at any time must have done so in order to receive federal student aid.
Generally, men between the ages of 18 through 25 are required to register with
the
Selective Service Systems. This requirement covers both U.S. citizens,
permanent residents, and most other men residing in the U.S. Students may
register with Selective Service by answering a question on the FAFSA or the
student may register on-line at the Selective Service web site at:
www.sss.gov. Students who have questions about the Selective Service
registration requirement may contact the Selective Service at 1-847-688-6888.
Major exceptions to the registration requirement
are included on the Statement of Registration Status. In addition to females or
men who were born before 1960, there are certain other categories who are
exempted from the registration requirement. These include:
- males currently in the armed
services and on active duty (does not apply to members of the
Reserve and National Guard not on active duty);
- males who are not yet 18 at the
time they complete their FAFSA (an update is not required
during the year, even if a student turns 18 after completing
the application);
- citizens of the Freely
Associated States;
- non-citizens who first entered
the U.S. after they turned 26 (If a male immigrant can show
proof that he first entered the U.S. when he was past
registration age, he is clearly not required to register and
no Selective Service Status Information Letter is needed. The
student's entry documentation is sufficient to show whether he
is exempt from the registration requirement.);
- non-citizens who entered the
U.S. as lawful non-immigrants on a valid visa and remained in
the U.S. on the terms of that visa until after they turned 26.
These are certain less common situations where
registration isn't necessary. If a student wasn't required to register prior to
meeting one of the following criteria and continue to meet one of these for the
entire time through age 25, they are exempted from the registration requirement.
These are:
- Students who are unable to
register due to being hospitalized, incarcerated, or
institutionalized.
- Students who are enrolled in an
officer procurement program at the Citadel, North Georgia
College, Norwich University, or Virginia Military Institute.
- Students who are commissioned
officers of the
Public Health Service on active duty and members of the
Reserve of the Public Health Service.
- Students who are commissioned
officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
If one of these exceptional criteria applies to a
student, the school must document the student's status. If the student is not
clearly exempt from the requirement to register, the student must document the
exemption by providing a Selective Service Status Information Letter.
CONSEQUENCES FOR
NOT REGISTERING
The maximum penalty for failing to register with Selective
Service is a $250,000 fine and up to five years in prison.
Failure to register will cause ineligibility for a number of
federal and state benefits including:
FEDERAL JOBS
A man must be registered to be eligible for jobs in the
Executive Branch of the Federal government and the U.S. Postal
Service. This applies only to men born after December 31,
1959.
STUDENT FINANCIAL
AID
Men who are not registered with Selective Service cannot
obtain Federal student loans or grants. This includes
Pell
Grants,
College Work-Study, Guaranteed Student/Plus Loans, and
National Direct Student Loans.
CITIZENSHIP
The
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services -USCIS-
(formerly known as INS) makes
registration with Selective Service a condition for U.S.
citizenship, if the man first arrived in the U.S. before his
26th birthday and was required to register.
FEDERAL JOB
TRAINING
The Workforce Investment Act (formerly JTPA) offers important
job-training opportunities. This program is only open to those
men who register with Selective Service.
STATE JOBS,
LOANS, AND TRAINING
Most states have added additional penalties for those who fail
to register with Selective Service.
STATE DRIVER'S
LICENSE LEGISLATION
As of May 16, 2002,
19 states, 2 territories, and the District of Columbia have
enacted driver's license laws supporting Selective Service
registration. They are Oklahoma, Delaware, Arkansas, Utah,
Georgia, Hawaii, Alabama, Florida, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana,
Illinois, Ohio, South Dakota, Mississippi, Idaho, Virginia,
Wisconsin, New Hampshire, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
UP