Special circumstances

Families who experience unforeseen changes in their income and/or assets due to job loss, income reduction, asset value reduction, illness, etc. may have their financial aid package reviewed. If you are experiencing an unexpected loss of income, you can follow these steps to begin a re-evaluation of your financial aid:

1. Inform the financial aid office right away.
Establish the nature of the change in circumstances, the cause and the financial impact by submitting either a Student Review form or a Parent Review form (whichever is applicable). Make sure to include the appropriate, relevant and supporting documentation requested on the form. If you have questions while filling out the form, please feel free to call us toll free at 855-278-5080 or visit our office.
 
2. Respond to any requests for additional information as soon as possible.
A financial aid counselor will review the documentation you submit. If additional documentation is needed, we will contact you by mail. Re-evaluation of your financial aid eligibility is subject to federal, state and university guidelines and is based on:

• Whether or not the change in financial circumstance has an actual impact on your aid eligibility; 
• Timeliness of your original application for financial aid (filing the FAFSA); 
• Timeliness and completeness of your appeal and the nature of the change in circumstances; and availability of funds.

3. Confirm the result of the re-evaluation.
We will send you a letter in the mail once the review is complete. The letter will summarize the decision and any actions you may need to take.

We know that there are many circumstances that may impact a family’s ability to contribute to a student’s education, and we will work with you to understand your options and determine if any additional aid may be available based on your individual circumstances. Unfortunately, not all circumstances will be eligible for consideration, and not all appeals will result in additional financial assistance.