Extenuating Circumstances
If you believe your federal aid offer does not accurately reflect your current financial situation, or if you were advised to contact your school's financial aid office based on your personal circumstances, our financial aid advisors will review your situation to make sure your offer is based on the most accurate information available.
Click one of the scenarios below to read about available options, or jump directly to the end of the page for more information on each type of form:
Scenarios
The FAFSA uses tax information from two years prior (e.g., 2023 tax information for
the 2025-26 award year) in calculating your federal aid eligibility every year. If
your income, or the income of one of your contributors on the FAFSA, has decreased
since those taxes were filed, you can submit a Request for Review of Special Circumstances along with supporting documentation in order to request an update to the income and/or
assets used in the FAFSA calculation. If you are also facing unusual expenses, these
may also be included in the same appeal.
All requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, but the following are a few examples
of scenarios that might call for a review of special circumstances:
- Layoffs
- Recent retirement
- Recent disability
- Reduction of income and/or benefits
Please note that even if your request is approved, your financial aid offer is not
guaranteed to change. Students with an SAI of -1500 are also typically ineligible
for a review of special circumstances (as they are already considered to have maximum
financial need) and are encouraged to meet with a financial aid advisor to discuss
additional support options.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
If you or your contributors on the FAFSA are facing recent expenses that dramatically
change your financial situation, you can submit a Request for Review of Special Circumstances along with supporting documentation in order to request an update to the income and/or
assets used in the FAFSA calculation. If your income has also been negatively affected,
these expenses may be included in the same appeal.
All requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, but the following are a few examples
of scenarios that might call for a review of special circumstances:
- Unusual medical or dental expenses (including treatment, prescriptions, or equipment)
- Having a child after filing the FAFSA
- Supporting an additional family member not included on the FAFSA
Please note that even if your request is approved, your financial aid offer is not
guaranteed to change. Students with an SAI of -1500 are also typically ineligible
for a review of special circumstances (as they are already considered to have maximum
financial need) and are encouraged to meet with a financial aid advisor to discuss
additional support options.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
If you have already filed your FAFSA for the year, you are not required to update your FAFSA to reflect your divorce or marriage; however, you may wish to do so in certain circumstances. In this case, please submit a Request for Review of Special Circumstances. A financial aid advisor will review your situation and can help determine how the update might affect your financial aid offer.
Please note that updating your own FAFSA to reflect a marriage or divorce may result in reduced aid eligibility and/or financial aid holds due to conflicting information, and that such updates cannot be undone once submitted.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
Unaccompanied homeless youth qualify as independent students on the FAFSA. However,
this status must be verified by a financial aid advisor before you will be able to
receive a financial aid offer. You should submit a Verification of Dependency Status form, attaching appropriate documentation, in order to verify your circumstances.
If you are struggling to provide appropriate documentation, is highly recommended. Some circumstances may be more effectively addressed through
an Unusual Circumstances appeal; a financial aid advisor can help you to determine whether this is right for
you.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
If at any point after age 13 you had no living parent (biological or adoptive), or
if a court has determined you a legally emancipated minor (even if you are now an
adult), you qualify as an independent student on the FAFSA. However, this status must
be verified by a financial aid advisor before you will be able to receive a financial
aid offer. You should submit a Verification of Dependency Status form, attaching appropriate
documentation, in order to verify your circumstances.
If you are struggling to provide appropriate documentation, is highly recommended. Some circumstances may be more effectively addressed through
an Unusual Circumstances appeal; a financial aid advisor can help you to determine
whether this is right for you.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
If at any point after age 13 you were placed in foster care or were a ward of the
court (i.e., a court assumed legal custody of you), or if you are currently in a legal
guardianship/were in a legal guardianship when you turned 18, you qualify as an independent
student on the FAFSA. However, this status must be verified by a financial aid advisor
before you will be able to receive a financial aid offer. You should submit a Verification of Dependency Status form, attaching appropriate documentation, in order to verify your circumstances.
If you are struggling to provide appropriate documentation, is highly recommended. Some circumstances may be more effectively addressed through
an Unusual Circumstances appeal; a financial aid advisor can help you to determine whether this is right for
you.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
If you would otherwise be considered a dependent student but are unable to contact your parent(s) or caregiver(s) for reasons not listed above, you may submit an Unusual Circumstances Form to request a review of your personal circumstances by a financial aid advisor. You will need to provide supporting documentation, including at least one letter from a third party familiar with your situation (such as a teacher, counselor, older relative, or clergy member). to discuss your situation is highly encouraged.
Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, but some examples of unusual circumstances include:
- Leaving home due to an abusive or threatening environment
- Abandonment or estrangement from parents, if you have not been formally adopted
- Being a victim of human trafficking
- Being a refugee or asylee who has been separated from your parents, or your parents being displaced in a foreign country
- Parental incarceration where contact with your parent would pose a risk to you
- Being otherwise unable to contact or locate your parent
Please note that the following reasons, on their own, are not sufficient grounds for approval:
- Your parents refuse to contribute to your education
- Your parents refuse to fill out the FAFSA
- Your parents don't claim you as a dependent on their income taxes
- You live on your own and are self-supporting
- You don't wish to communicate with your parents
If your request is approved, your dependency status on the FAFSA will be updated to "independent student" and your Student Aid Index (SAI) will be calculated accordingly.
Please note that an approved appeal for Unusual Circumstances does not guarantee that
you will be determined to have financial need or receive Pell Grant.
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
We use your Estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) to build your financial aid budget
for the year. This represents the maximum amount of financial aid that we may disburse
to you for the year (with certain exceptions) under federal regulations.
If you have sources of financial aid that exceed your budget ("overaward"), your financial
aid may be reduced until you are within your budget for the award year.
If there are additional education-related expenses that we have not accounted for,
you may submit a Budget Revision Request to appeal your current cost of attendance. An increase to your cost of attendance/budget
will not directly impact the financial aid offered to you, but may allow you to receive
aid that would otherwise be reduced or cancelled to avoid overaward.
Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to limitations, but
may include:
- Plane tickets (up to 2/year) for travel home
- Additional tools or supplies required for your field of study
- Additional housing or utilities costs for off-campus students
- Additional food costs due to dietary restrictions (e.g., food allergies)
- Childcare expenses during your class or study time
- One-time purchase of a computer for educational use
This appeal process directly affects your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship
eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of
aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
Extenuating Circumstances Forms
Below you will find a brief overview of options that may be available to you and what action is required for each. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. You should be prepared to respond to follow-up requests for additional information and/or documentation, and to discuss your situation is highly encouraged.
Please keep in mind that none of these exceptions can guarantee complete coverage of tuition and fees. We encourage students to pursue additional sources of financial aid alongside the appeals process, especially scholarship opportunities such as and external scholarship opportunities.
All forms are also located on the ÃÛÌÒTV Financial Aid Forms page.
Sometimes the income information provided on the FAFSA may not reflect your or your contributors' current income, or sudden expenses or other life changes might affect your financial status.
In these cases, you can submit a Request for Review of Special Circumstances Form explaining the change in income and providing supporting documentation.
Based on the Personal Circumstances section of the FAFSA, you may need to verify certain circumstances that qualify you as an independent student.
If you are unable to provide appropriate documentation to support your response on the FAFSA, you may be asked to correct your FAFSA or fill out an Unusual Circumstances Form.
If you are unable to contact your parent(s), you may submit an Unusual Circumstances Form along with supporting documentation to request review of your dependency status on the FAFSA.
Please note that parent refusal of support and/or student self-sufficiency are not, on their own, sufficient grounds for approval.
If your actual expenses exceed your estimated Cost of Attendance (COA), you may request a revision of your COA for the award year. You must submit appropriate documentation of expenses for consideration.
A budget revision does not automatically qualify a student for more aid, nor does it affect your student bill.
Other Resources
Please note that the options outlined above directly affect your federal aid offer (through the ) only. Indirect effects on other sources of funding (such as state aid or scholarship eligibility) are possible but not guaranteed. For more information on the types of aid which may be available to you through the FAFSA, check out our FAFSA page.
Students who are struggling are encouraged to contact ÃÛÌÒTV's Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability (ORCA) for additional support options. For students dealing with short-term life situations and who have exhausted all other aid options, one-time emergency scholarships may be available.