Professional Judgment
A financial aid administrator may use professional judgment to adjust FAFSA information based on a student's individual circumstances. If you or your contributor(s) have experienced a loss of employment, reduction in income, or a change in dependency status due to an adverse home situation, and you believe your financial aid offer does not accurately reflect your current financial situation, you may submit one of the appeals below.
Student Aid Index (SAI) Appeal
If you or your contributor(s) have experienced a significant decline in income, you may submit an SAI Appeal after receiving your initial financial aid award notification for the academic year.
We recommend accepting your initial financial aid package to ensure your bill is paid on time. If your appeal results in adjustments, those changes will be applied retroactively to the beginning of the academic year.
Examples of Circumstances That May Be Considered
- Loss of employment
- Other loss of income
- Marital separation or divorce
- Disability or retirement
- Death of a parent or spouse
- One-time payment received
- Uncommon expenses
How to Appeal
Things to Consider
Submitting an SAI Appeal does not guarantee that your financial aid eligibility will change. Your aid package may remain the same, increase, or decrease depending on the documentation submitted.
After submitting an SAI Appeal, your financial aid application may be selected for verification. If selected, additional requirements will appear in your MyChecklist. Even if you choose not to continue with the appeal, you must still complete all verification requirements.
Additional guidance and documentation requirements can be found here:
Appeal Documentation Guidance
Cost of Attendance (COA) Appeal
Students who have educational expenses not included in the standard Cost of Attendance budget may submit a COA Appeal with documentation of those expenses.
Expense Examples
| Expenses That May Be Considered | Expenses That Cannot Be Considered |
|---|---|
| Housing (your share only) | Credit card debt |
| Utilities (your share only) | Car payments or insurance |
| Medical, dental, or optical expenses not covered by insurance | Expenses incurred before the academic year |
| Major car repairs or unusual transportation expenses | Food |
| Computer (one-time purchase, up to $1,200) | Extracurricular activities (conferences, sports, internships) |
| Disability-related academic expenses not covered by an outside organization | Expenses for other family members |
| Child or dependent care expenses |
How to Appeal
Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026
Submit the 2025–26 COA Appeal Form with documentation.
Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Summer 2027
The 2026–27 COA Appeal Form will be available soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What appeal should I complete: SAI or COA?
View the guidance page
What are the parameters for submitting a Cost of Attendance Appeal?
A student’s Cost of Attendance budget already includes tuition and fees, estimated housing and meals, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. If a student has additional educational expenses not included in the standard budget, they may submit a COA Appeal with documentation.
If my COA Appeal is approved, how will it impact my aid?
Financial aid cannot exceed a student’s Cost of Attendance budget. Increasing the budget may allow for additional loan eligibility. Due to limited funding, institutional grants are not awarded through COA Appeals.
Is there anything else I should know before submitting a COA Appeal?
Students must accept all available federal Direct Loans before a COA Appeal can be processed.
Dependency Appeal
Students who are unable to obtain parental information due to an adverse family situation may submit a Dependency Appeal. To be considered, the student must demonstrate that financial and emotional contact with their parents has been severed due to an adverse home situation.
Supporting documentation is required when submitting a Dependency Appeal.
Adverse Conditions
- Severe estrangement from parents
- Unsafe home environment
- Physical or emotional abuse
- Abandonment
Conditions That Do Not Qualify
- Parent refusal to contribute to education
- Parent unwilling to provide FAFSA information
- Not claiming the student on taxes
- Student demonstrating self-sufficiency
