Special Circumstances

Loss of Parental Support

Federal Student Aid believes that the primary responsibility for paying for education lies with the student and their parent(s). A dependent student is assumed to have parental support, so both the student's and the parent's information must be assessed to get a full picture of the family’s financial strength. That does not mean the parents must pay anything toward the cost; however, it does help in determining the student’s maximum eligibility for federal student aid. Parent information is generally required on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) until the student is 24 or meets one of the other federal criteria to be considered an independent student.

What is a dependency override for unusual circumstances?

Students who have an adverse family situation may qualify for a dependency override due to their unusual circumstances. To qualify, students must document that all financial and emotional contact with their parents has been severed due to an adverse relationship.

Examples of circumstances that may qualify for a dependency override include:

• Unsafe home environment
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Abandonment

Examples of circumstances that do NOT qualify for a dependency override include:

• Student living on their own and financially supporting themselves
• Parent refusal to provide information on the FAFSA
• Parent not claiming the student as a dependent on a tax return

Students who believe their circumstances may qualify for a dependency override should talk with an advisor in Student Central to learn more about the application process.

Students who do not qualify for a dependency override may still be eligible for unsubsidized federal student loans. A Student Central advisor can help students explore their options.

What is an unaccompanied homeless youth determination?

Students who would otherwise need to provide parental information on the FAFSA may be considered independent if the student meets the federal definitions of unaccompanied and homeless or is unaccompanied by parents, self-supporting, and at risk of being homeless, as determined by:

• a high school or district homeless liaison; or
• the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; or
• the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program; or
• the director or designee of a Federal TRIO program or a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate program (GEAR UP) grant.

In some circumstances, the college financial aid office can determine unaccompanied homeless youth status based on a written statement from the student. Students who believe their circumstances may qualify for this determination should talk with an advisor in Student Central to learn more about this process.

Loss of Income and Other Special Circumstances

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) asks students and parents to provide income information from the prior-prior year. While a family’s income and circumstances are often stable from one year to the next, sometimes circumstances change. In some cases, the income and/or household information reported on a student’s FAFSA may not reflect the current circumstances. If students have extenuating circumstances, the college may be able to adjust some FAFSA data elements to determine additional eligibility for federal student aid.

What is a Special Circumstance Application?

Students/families whose current income and circumstances do not accurately reflect financial status reported on the FAFSA may qualify for a special circumstance appeal. After reviewing a student’s current financial and household information, the college may be able to adjust some FAFSA data elements to more accurately reflect the family’s current circumstances. This appeal and review may result in an increase in the student’s financial aid eligibility.

Examples of extenuating circumstances that may qualify for a review include:

• Involuntary loss of income (e.g., layoff, significant reduction in hours worked, loss of benefits, etc.)
• Change in marital status (e.g., divorce/separation or death of a spouse (independent student) or parent (dependent student)) after filing the FAFSA
• Extreme expenses (e.g., non-cosmetic medical costs or secondary school expenses)

Examples of circumstances that do NOT qualify for a review include:

• Voluntary loss of income (e.g., choosing to quit a job, or reducing hours worked, etc.)
• Change in marital status before filing the FAFSA

Students who believe their circumstances may qualify for a review should contact an advisor in Student Central to learn more about the appeal process and the documentation they will need to provide to explain the change(s) in their circumstances. The review period for the current academic/award year ends June 30. The review period for the upcoming academic/award year begins July 1.