Financial aid offers are finally in the hands of many students, but because of delays with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid many students are deciding where they are going to enroll before they had time to ask if a change in financial situation would merit more financial aid.
Thankfully, students with a change in financial circ*mstances can still request their school update their information, and potentially get some additional help paying for college if they submit an appeal based on changed financial circ*mstances.
By the time students get their financial aid offers for the academic year, the income information used to determine financial aid eligibility is two years old. This poses no problem for those with no changes in their financial situation, but for students who have lost a job, had a parent lose their job, seen their income drop, or had some other significant economic shock, the financial information on their FAFSA could be very out of date.
The FAFSA is the federal form students complete to be considered for any financial aid from the federal government, your state, or one of the colleges you hope to attend. It asks for detailed financial information for yourself (and your parents if you are younger than 24).
Usually, students have plenty of time to submit appeals before they have to decide where they are heading to college. This year, because of updates to the FAFSA that pushed its release from October to December, and continued problems after launch, most students have only recently received aid offers. On top of those delays, many financial aid offices, swamped with trying to just get initial offers processed, have only just started considering appeals .
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How Do Financial Aid Appeals Work?
The financial aid process begins with completing the FAFSA. Your college needs to get your initial information before they can consider an appeal. Once you have completed the FAFSA, you will get your Student Aid Index (formerly Expected Family Contribution) number. This number plays a significant role in determining the types of financial aid you qualify for and the total financial aid you can receive. The lower the number, the more types of aid and higher total aid dollars you will be eligible for, and vice versa.
Once colleges have your FAFSA information—usually one to two weeks after you submit the form—they will review your information and send you a financial aid offer based on your SAI number. Your offer will include any federal aid you qualify for, as well as any money available from financial aid programs run by your state and the colleges you applied to.
If your circ*mstances qualify, an appeal can lower your SAI number and potentially increase the aid you are eligible for. But you can only start submitting an appeal once you have that initial offer.
What Circ*mstances Qualify For An Appeal?
Students completing the FAFSA this year will be using 2022 taxes. If you know that your current financial information is different from what you reported for 2022, then you should consider submitting an appeal.
Job losses, job changes that result in lower income, unusually high medical expenses, divorce, a separation that changes family income, the death of a parent, the loss of a home or business in a natural disaster, and the loss of child support are all reasons you can request that your financial aid eligibility be re-evaluated.
For example, if a parent is laid off and the family income decreases significantly, that could mean some additional help. Or if you are an older, independent student and have decided to quit your job to go back to college, your income from two years ago is probably different than it will be when you stop working. Both of those circ*mstances could result in an increase in your aid package.
Students with young children can also seek additional support to account for any childcare expenses they have.
Who Makes The Decisions on Appeals?
Appeals are all decided by the financial aid staff at the college you plan to attend. If they approve your request, financial aid staff can adjust your financial aid information, which can make you eligible for increased aid.
Reviewing appeals takes time, so complete any forms your college asks you to fill in as quickly as possible. You will mostly likely have to provide supporting evidence, such as a termination letter for a job loss, or invoices for unusually high medical expenses.
The financial aid appeal process can be frustrating and confusing, but for students who qualify, it is still worth it. Online resources can help make the process faster and simpler. For example, Swift Students is an excellent free tool that provides prompts and tips to help students create a customized appeal letter. The tool walks you through everything you need to do to generate and submit an appeal to your target schools.
Does An Appeal Always Lead To More Aid?
If, at the end of the appeal, your SAI is lower than it was with your original information, then you might be eligible for additional grant funds. But, a change in finances does not automatically qualify you for more financial aid, even if the appeal has merit. Because they have limited funds available, some institutions will increase federal and state grants, but not institutional dollars, if you become eligible for more aid.
It is also possible that an appeal yields no additional financial aid because you are already receiving the maximum amounts available, or because changes to your SAI are not enough to change your grant eligibility. For example, a student with a zero SAI already qualifies for maximum aid, so they might not see increased support even if their circ*mstances have changed for the worse. Nevertheless, it is still worth asking the financial aid office if any additional help is available. Some institutions can help with transit subsidies or have emergency aid programs to provide extra assistance in certain circ*mstances. They might also be able to connect you with public benefits.
Navigating the financial aid appeals process can feel daunting, but if your finances have changed and you need extra support, it is worth asking for extra help. Sometimes a little extra support can be all it takes to make college possible.
