What is IDOC?
The College utilizes the College Board’s Institutional Documentation Service, known as IDOC (pronounced “eye-dok”) to receive and process the financial aid application materials that accompany the CSS Profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There is no cost to students for the IDOC service.
After submitting the CSS Profile, IDOC allows for secure electronic upload, transmission, and submission of supporting financial aid documents and materials (federal income tax returns and schedules, W-2s, 1099 forms, etc.).
All U.S. citizen applicants (including prospective and returning students) must submit supporting tax and income documentation directly to the IDOC service. The Financial Aid Office does not accept any printed application materials.
Prospective and returning international financial aid applicants must submit supporting materials via their Financial Aid Checklist; these students do not utilize IDOC. Prospective students access their Financial Aid Checklist via their Applicant Status page portal link sent from the Admissions Office. Returning international students submit their supporting documents via MySwarthmore.
Students must first complete and submit the CSS Profile in order to upload documentation to IDOC. At the time of submission, students and parents will be provided an immediate opportunity to upload documents. View a slideshow tutorial that simplifies and explains IDOC. Please note that this video refers to 2018-19, but you should select the academic year that is relevant to your application.
IMPORTANT:
- Submit all supporting financial aid documents in the same session to ensure accurate delivery and tracking.
- Your application status is based upon your Swarthmore College financial aid checklist, and not your IDOC checklist. Your Swarthmore checklist may not always match your IDOC checklist due to the delay in transmission from IDOC to Swarthmore. Follow your application completion on your Swarthmore financial aid checklist.
- The table below indicates the appropriate method of submitting documents. If you have completed your CSS Profile, you may log in to IDOC.
| Student Applicant Type | Document Submission Method | Submission DEADLINE |
|---|---|---|
| Prospective Domestic (U.S. citizen) | IDOC | See domestic deadline information |
| Prospective International | Admissions Applicant Status Page | See international deadline information |
| Returning Domestic (U.S. citizen) | IDOC |
December 1 or March 1 *We recommend the December deadline for those that utilize the College's payment plan. |
| Returning International | MySwarthmore |
December 1 or March 1 *We recommend the December deadline for those that utilize the College's payment plan. |
