Unusual/Special Financial Circumstances
The Financial Aid Office at 91快播 understands that life is filled with unexpected twists and turns. That鈥檚 why we are committed to supporting you every step of your educational journey.
While your initial financial aid offer is based on the information you provide on your聽FAFSA, we also know that there are times when that original information may no longer reflect your current situation. The U.S. Department of Education allows you the opportunity to request updates to your information to better reflect reality in certain situations. There are two application categories for such types of situations and students may qualify under one or both categories:
Special Circumstances
鈥淪pecial circumstances鈥 refer to unexpected events or changes in your or your family鈥檚 financial situation that cause the family to be unable to help the student pay for college as they would have in the past. These events or changes could have resulted in either a decrease in income or unusual expenses, or both. The Financial Aid Office might be able to make changes to the data provided on your FAFSA or your cost of attendance (COA) as appropriate.
聽These 鈥渟pecial circumstances鈥 may include but are not limited to:
- Reduction in your or your family鈥檚 income (loss of employment, reduction in earnings, loss of a breadwinner, etc.)
- Separation, divorce, or new marriage
- Family financial tragedy (fire/destruction of home, catastrophic expenses, etc.)
- Change in household size
- Medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance (incurred during the current enrollment period)
- Tuition expenses at a primary or secondary school
- Child or dependent care expenses
- Many other financial issues
Unusual Circumstances
鈥淯nusual circumstances鈥 refer to certain situations where a student may have their dependency status changed on the FAFSA庐 from dependent to independent.
Your dependency status (dependent versus independent) is important. In general,
- If you are a聽dependent聽student, you are expected to provide both your and your parent鈥檚 personal and financial information on your聽FAFSA. The FAFSA then assumes that you have the combination of both聽you and your parent(s)聽financial resources to fund your education. You therefore may have less need for financial aid, and it may lower your financial aid eligibility overall.
- If you are an聽independent聽student, you are expected to provide聽only your聽(and your spouse鈥檚, if married) personal and financial information on your FAFSA. Since the FAFSA is determining your need for financial aid based on your information alone, that may impact your financial aid eligibility.
鈥淯nusual circumstances鈥 may include but are not limited to:
- Being separated from your parent(s) and their support through no fault of your own, including an abusive or threatening environment
- Living with/being supported by someone other than your parent(s) due to parental abandonment/incarceration
- Being unaccompanied and homeless/not having permanent adequate housing
- Being in the U.S. on a qualified refugee or asylee visa status and are separated from parents
- Parents are not U.S. citizens/residents and are not able to provide support
- Being separated from your parents based upon having been the victim of human trafficking
- Many other unusual family circumstances
Unusual Circumstances do NOT include:
- Parental refusal to contribute to your education
- Parent(s) will not provide information on the FAFSA or Verification (if required)
- Parent(s) do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
- Student demonstrates financial self-sufficiency
You may find that you meet one or both categories and, while not always guaranteed, scheduling an appointment to meet with one of our Financial Aid Advisors to discuss your situation may allow us to increase the amount of financial aid funding available to you.