Special and Unusual Circumstances
Professional Judgment
What is a professional judgment?
Federal regulations allow limited exceptions or adjustments to the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Such exceptions, known as professional judgment, are considered on a case-by-case basis with supporting documentation of your unique circumstances. The school does not have the authority to change the need analysis formula itself or to make direct adjustments to the Student Aid Index (SAI). Instead, the school may make adjustments to the inputs to the formula.
The decision of the financial aid administrator is final. There is no further appeal. By law, neither the school’s president nor the US Department of Education can override the financial aid administrator’s decision. Please note you must be currently enrolled in the aid year for which you are requesting the Professional Judgment for it to be considered.
Review of documents, emails, and other communications are processed in the order in which they are received. Professional judgments take 4-6 weeks for a decision once all documentation is submitted.
What is considered special or unusual circumstance?
Special circumstances are financial changes that have occurred to a student or parent since completing the FAFSA. Examples include job loss, death of a parent or spouse, divorce or separation.
Unusual circumstances refer to a student’s dependency status, also known as dependency override. Examples include parental abandonment, incarceration, abuse, neglect, or other severe estrangement.
None of the following conditions, singly or in combination, qualify as unusual circumstances meriting a dependency override:
- Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education.
- Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification.
- Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.
Professional Judgment FAQs
- What documents should I submit with my Professional Judgment request?
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The documentation provided should support your claim. Documentation examples are listed below and are only examples and should not be considered an exhaustive list of acceptable requirements. Furthermore, providing the documents listed does not guarantee approval or additional eligibility.
- A change in student’s aid eligibility will likely not occur if:
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- The loss or change of income was voluntary.
- The person who lost employment has currently been rehired and is earning a similar or higher salary than two years prior.
- The loss or change to income was not significant enough to impact a student's eligibility.
- The loss of income is too recent to document a financial hardship.
- If the student's expected family contribution is already zero.
- How long before I know the outcome of a Professional Judgment?
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Professional judgments will be processed in the order they are received. Processing time is 6-8 weeks; however, a complete file is required for review. If the student submits an incomplete appeal, processing time will begin once all documents have been received. The student will receive an email notification with the outcome of the appeal.
- My Professional Judgment application was approved, now what?
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Once a Professional Judgment application is approved, please allow 7 – 10 business days for a student’s financial aid award to be updated. An approval does not guarantee awards will increase.
- What if I do not have documents being requested for Professional Judgment?
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An appeal will not be considered without documentation. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPEAL WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION.
- What if I disagree with the decision on my request?
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Decisions made by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships are final and cannot be appealed.
Examples of Recommended Documentation
The recommended documentation does not include all possible scenarios. There may be other types of documentation that are acceptable. Submitting an explanation with supporting documentation does not guarantee a change in financial aid awards.
- Exclusion of income due to the sale of farm or business assets as a result of foreclosure, forfeiture, bankruptcy, or involuntary liquidation
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- Court documents ordering foreclosure, forfeiture, bankruptcy, or involuntary liquidation
- Federal tax return; Schedule C-Business Income; Schedule D-Capital Gains or Losses; Schedule E-Rental Real Estate; Schedule F-Farm income
- Accountant or investment broker asset liquidation statements
- Income reduction due to dislocated worker status
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- Note of unemployment benefits
- Letter from former employer
- Unusual medical, dental, or nursing home expenses
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- Federal income tax form, Schedule A-Itemized Deductions
- IRS Tax Return Transcript (if necessary)
- Receipts for payments
- Canceled checks
- Documentation of costs covered by insurance
- Elementary and secondary school costs for dependent student's sibling or independent student's child
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- Receipts for tuition payments
- Canceled checks
- Signed, itemized statement of expenses
- Parent's enrollment in postsecondary education program
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- Receipts for tuition payments
- Documentation of required book and supply costs
- Documentation of need for program
- Documentation of enrollment status
- Income reduction or nonrecurring income (e.g., from diverse or death, change or loss of employment, disability, or receipt of nonrecurring income)
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- For estimated income; Signed statements of estimated earnings; paycheck stubs; alimony in divorce agreement; unemployment compensation and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) benefits; disability and Social Security benefits received or to be received.
- For nonrecurring income: Federal income tax return, Form 3903-Moving expenses; Schedule 0-Capital Gains and Losses