Appeals and financial aid revisions

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships if you have questions about appealing or revising your financial aid. See below for specific examples.

Appeals

Students and their families may experience changes in their financial or personal circumstances that are not represented on the FAFSA or in the student’s cost of attendance.

Submitting a financial aid appeal does not guarantee that the type or amount of financial aid will change. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before beginning an appeal process. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships can review your situation with you and help you to determine if you are a good candidate for one or more of these appeal processes.

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Special Circumstances appeal

Special circumstances include events such as a loss of a job, separation or divorce, death, disability, or outstanding medical expenses.

If you or your family have a special circumstance, your financial aid eligibility may be reevaluated, and you should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. You may also need to complete a Special Circumstances Appeal form.

To review the Special Circumstance Appeal form and requirements, select the appropriate form and aid year below:

Cost of attendance appeal

If you have expenses during the academic year that are higher than the University’s Cost of Attendance, we may be able to increase your financial aid eligibility through a Cost of Attendance (COA) adjustment. There are certain types of expenses eligible for COA adjustment consideration such as:

  • Housing and food Transportation
  • Additional books or supplies
  • Course fees for academic program-related projects or instruments
  • Purchasing a computer or software University-sponsored
  • Health Benefit Plan
  • Costs of obtaining a license, certification, or first professional credential

If you are able to document that your actual costs are higher than the standard Cost of Attendance figures and would like your financial aid to be reviewed, select the appropriate aid year and complete the Cost of Attendance Appeal form:

Note: Not all Cost of Attendance Appeals lead to increased funds in the form of grants and scholarships. Some appeals lead to increased aid in the form of a loan offer or no change at all.

Dependency status

The following instances may require you to contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to determine if you should submit an appeal or additional information regarding your financial aid eligibility and dependency status.

  • If you were asked to report your parent’s personal and financial information on the FAFSA, but were unable to do so, and you have extenuating circumstances.
  • If you do not meet the federal definition for an independent student.
  • If you experienced homelessness or were at risk of being homeless.

If any of these extenuating circumstances apply, please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships so they can direct you to the appropriate form.

Child Care Expense

If you have child care expenses during the current academic aid year, you may complete the Child Care Expense Appeal form to revise your financial aid eligibility. Select the appropriate aid year and complete the form below:

The maximum allowance is $3,300 per semester for each dependent for the nine-month academic year. Please be aware that completing this form does not guarantee an increase in your financial aid.

Loans

To make any changes to your loans, email the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at [email protected]. In your email, describe the change you'd like to make. 

Some examples include but are not limited to:

  • Request an additional loan
  • Increase your loan amount
  • Reduce your loan amount
  • Cancel a loan after you've accepted it

Work-study

To decline or request a work-study award, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.