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Special Circumstances

There are situations that may have an impact on a student’s financial situation and that the Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may not always capture. The Special Circumstance process is used to address these financial hardships.

Special Circumstances that may be considered include:

• Loss of employment
• Loss of another form of income (such as child support or Social Security benefits)
• Separation or divorce
• Death of a parent or spouse
• High medical and/or dental expenses that were not reimbursed

(We can only consider PAID (not billed) medical expenses that exceed 11% of your family’s AGI in the year they were incurred.)

• One-time payment received

Things that are not considered include:

• Costs associated with lifestyle choices or consumer indebtedness (house payments, car expenses, credit card debt, etc.)
• Filing for bankruptcy is not a valid reason for a special circumstance on its own.

To request a Special Circumstance review, you must first contact the Student Service Center – One Hop Shop and speak with a Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your special circumstance and determine what documentation will be required based on your individual situation.

Unusual Circumstances

A Financial Aid Counselor must review a student’s unusual circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Student Service Center – One Hop Shop and speak with a Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your unusual circumstance and determine what documentation will be required based on your individual situation.

Please note that review of a special/unusual circumstance does not always result in additional financial aid eligibility.