Special or Unusual Circumstances

The FAFSA requires students to provide household income and tax data. For independent students, this includes spouse information. For dependent students, this includes information from parents. Certain situations qualify students for a recalculation to see if they are eligible for any financial aid. These circumstances may include:

• Loss of income from unemployment, furlough, disability, or retirement
• Unreimbursed medical or dental expenses for an exceptional medical emergency or incident (not covered by insurance or a third party)
• Legal separation or divorce
• Death of a family member whose income was reported on the FAFSA
• Termination of child support, alimony, or worker’s compensation

Students will need to submit the following to the financial aid office:

• The “Request for Recalculation due to Income Reduction” form (please see below)
• A verification form (please see below)
• Signed copies of federal income tax returns indicated on the form the student will complete. 
• Documentation of loss of income (layoff notice, severance letter, legal separation or divorce decree, death certificate, explanation of benefits for the unreimbursed medical/dental expenses, etc.)

Once complete, students can bring them in to the Financial Aid Office, or they can scan and email everything to the financial aid staff. Please allow up to 30 days for the recalculation to be completed.

*Please note that submission of a Request for Recalculation form does not guarantee that the student will receive financial aid*

Financial aid regulations assume that the family has primary responsibility for meeting educational costs for the student. By Law, dependent students are required to provide parental information on the FAFSA.

With this said, financial aid administrators have the authority to change a student’s status from dependent to independent in cases involving unusual circumstances that include, but are not limited to:

• Parents are deceased
• Parents cannot be located
• The student has been abandoned
• The student comes from an abusive family
• The student is a homeless youth (under 24)

Students will need to submit the following to the financial aid office:

• The Dependency Status Appeal form
• Supporting documentation (if possible)
• Statements from two people who know of their situation (Mental health providers, social workers, mentors, doctors, clergy, professors, employers, etc.)

A student is considered homeless if the student does not have fixed, regular, and/or adequate housing. This includes students who are living in shelters, motels, cars, and parks, or who are temporarily living with other people because they have nowhere else to go. A student will also qualify if they do not live with parents due to abuse.

Students will need to submit the following to the financial aid office:

• The “Homeless Determination Form”
• Any other supporting documentation, if possible (foreclosure/eviction notice, job termination notice, etc.)
• If possible, documentation from:
  • Local school district personnel
  • State homeless education coordinators
  • The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)
  • Third parties such as private or publicly funded homeless shelters and service providers
  • Financial aid administrators from colleges that the student previously attended
  • Staff from college access programs such as TRIO or GEAR UP.
  • College or high school counselors
  • Mental health providers, social workers, mentors, doctors, or clergy
• If students are not able to provide documentation from the above sources, they can submit statements from two people who know of their situation (employers, professors)

Students can bring the form and documents in to the Financial Aid Office, or they can scan and email everything to the financial aid staff.

If you have any questions regarding your circumstances, please contact the financial aid office.