If there has been a change to your family's situation that reduces your ability to pay for college, you may request a review of the information on your financial aid application by completing the Special Circumstance Request form. Not all Special Circumstance reviews will result in a change to financial aid eligibility.

Circumstances that are generally given consideration include:

• Loss of income or benefits
• Divorce or separation
• Death of a parent (or spouse if married)

FAFSA data will be verified prior to the Special Circumstance review. At a minimum, a student will be required to submit the following information to the Financial Aid Office if requested:

1. Completed Special Circumstance Request form.
2. Signed copies of federal income tax return for the requested tax year(s), with applicable tax schedules and attachments.
3. W-2's for the appropriate tax year(s).
4. Documentation of untaxed income (if applicable).
5. Examples of other documentation include unemployment claim payment history, layoff notice, severance letter, legal separation papers or divorce decree, death certificate.

The FAFSA determines your dependency status based on a number of questions. If you answer 'no' to all of the dependency questions on the FAFSA, you are considered a dependent student for financial aid purposes and must provide your parent information on the FAFSA.

If there are unusual circumstances where you cannot provide your parent information on the FAFSA, the Financial Aid Office may be able to perform a dependency override to make you an independent student for financial aid purposes and determine your financial aid eligibility without parent information or signatures.

Unusual circumstances that may warrant a dependency override include:

• Parental abandonment or estrangement
• Parents cannot be located
• Family abuse
• Incarceration or institutionalization

We cannot override dependency in cases where:

• Parents are unwilling to provide information for the FAFSA
• Student is financially independent
• Parents don’t claim student as a dependent on their taxes

The Financial Aid Office understands that many students have unique family situations. Student will be required to contact the office to schedule an in-person appointment and provide proper documentation.  Information and documentation submitted by the student is considered confidential.  There is no guarantee that a dependency override will be approved.   

If you believe you have a special circumstance or dependency override that warrants review, please contact the Financial Aid Office for an appointment at 559-442-8245.