Appeals & special circumstances

If you did not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements because you had special circumstances you may file an appeal with our office. You will need to demonstrate unusual circumstances beyond your control that are not likely to recur in the immediate future. You will need to explain what has changed in your situation so that you will now be able to make academic progress. If approved, you will need to meet the requirements of an individual academic plan to continue to receive financial aid.

Follow these links to learn more about the Undergraduate policy or the Graduate and Professional policy.

If you submitted your financial aid application after February 28, you may appeal to meet the priority date based on extraordinary circumstances.

If you are working with Disability Resources for Students (DRS) and will be taking a reduced credit load as an accommodation, you can request to be considered for priority funding even though you are not registered full-time. This appeal does not change your enrollment status, and certain aid programs must be prorated (reduced) even if this appeal is approved. Federal loan eligibility requires at least half-time enrollment. Students should contact their DRS coordinator to obtain the appeal form. The form needs to be submitted to your campus’ DRS office at least 3 weeks prior to the start of the quarter and your registration should match the credits indicated on the form. It would generally not be possible to review a DRS appeal after aid has disbursed for the quarter.

Dependent students must provide parental information to be considered for financial aid. Stepparent information is required on your financial aid application. If you believe that a contribution should not be computed from your stepparent and you can demonstrate that you and your stepparent have not been part of the same family unit, you may appeal with our office by submitting the form (Requesting Exclusion of Stepparent Contribution) for the appropriate school year.

If you originally filed your financial aid application with parent data but have since then become married, please refer to the Instructions for Marital Update of a Dependent Student. Our office will determine if it is appropriate to use your spouse’s information in determining your eligibility for financial aid rather than your parent’s information.

Dependent students are required to provide parental information and signatures to be considered for financial aid. Aid eligibility is determined by using parent income and asset information in addition to your information. Appeals cannot be approved based solely on a parent’s unwillingness or inability to support a student’s college education or their unwillingness to provide the required information.

• Unusual Circumstances: If you cannot provide parent information due to unusual family circumstances, you may appeal to apply for aid without parental information. For this purpose, an unusual circumstance includes, but is not limited to, a permanent, irreconcilable break in the relationship with the parent(s) due to abuse, abandonment, or extreme mistreatment.
• Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: If you are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or is self-supporting and at risk of being homeless, you may appeal to apply for aid without parental information. For this purpose, a new determination must be made each school year to classify you as an unaccompanied homeless youth.

If your parents are not able to make the contribution calculated for them, they may provide us with more comprehensive information about their situation and ask for a recalculation on the Revision Request for Change in Financial Situation (see Undergraduate forms or Graduate forms). Since financial aid is based on the assumption that parents will contribute their share to a dependent student’s education, they will need to show how circumstances beyond their control prevent them from making the calculated contribution. Parents may also finance all or part of the expected contribution through the Federal Direct PLUS Loan program.

If you are not able to make the expected contribution or if you no longer have the earnings, benefits, or other support you reported, explain on the Revision Request for Change in Financial Situations (see Undergraduate forms or Graduate forms). We will reassess your eligibility for financial aid based on your new financial situation.

We may be able to increase your “budget” for additional childcare, health care, transportation, book and supply costs or purchasing a computer. If funds are available, we will increase your aid offer to help cover them. Our response depends on whether your request meets all four of the following criteria:

• The expenses are educationally related and beyond your control
• They are greater than the amount already in your budget for such costs
• You will incur them during the award year (October-June)
• They are adequately documented in your Revision Request

Usually additional expenses are funded with “self-help” aid (loans or work). Submit your Revision Request for Additional Expenses (see Undergraduate forms or Graduate forms) and/or documentation of costs as soon as you know about your extra costs.

We assume everyone wants as much grant and scholarship money as possible. Your aid offer reflects your “fair share” of the limited gift aid we have available. Students offered Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans may not have priority for Work Study (based on relative need), but may replace the recommended loan amount with income from a non-Work Study job. You may request a change by contacting our office.