What happens if you complete your FAFSA on time, but when your aid offer rolls in, it’s not enough?
Don’t worry – it happens. You won’t be the first applicant to feel underwhelmed by their federal aid package. The good news is that you can always ask for more! This is known as an “appeal.” Worst-case scenario: the university’s financial aid office declines to modify your aid package.
That’s not so bad, right?
And if you listed other schools on your FAFSA, then you may have other offers to consider.
But if you really have your heart set on that special school, you’ll want to make an appeal. And there is something of an art to this. You don’t just barge into the school’s financial aid office and demand an increase to your aid package. You’ll need to understand how the appeals process actually works.
Making an appeal is not like bartering – you can’t just bluff and negotiate your way to a good deal.
Your appeal depends on how well you can present documentation of the special circumstances that impact your ability to pay for school.
Special Circumstances
Special circumstances include any changes to your or your family’s finances within the last two years. They also include any circumstances that make you distinct from a “typical student.”
Here are some of the most common circumstances that you can cite for a successful appeal:
- Textbook costs that are higher than what’s normally covered in the cost of attendance
- A change in the student’s marital status
- Loss of job/decreased income
- Divorce/separation of dependent student’s parents
- Death of dependent student’s parent(s)
- Student has special needs/disabled children
- End of child support, Social Security benefits for a child, or alimony payments
- Student/family has medical/dental expenses that went unreimbursed
- Catastrophic loss like that experienced in a fire or natural disaster
When Can I Make My Appeal?
Thankfully, you can appeal for more financial aid at pretty much any time!
For instance, you can appeal after applying for financial aid or in the middle of the academic year. Strangely enough, you can even appeal before you apply for financial aid.
Ideally, you want to appeal for more financial aid immediately after a given special circumstance arises. If one of your parents has lost their job, for instance, you should make your appeal right after the job termination.
An appeal only lasts for one year though. If the special circumstances still apply after that time, the appeal has to be made again.
How Do I Make My Appeal?
Here’s how the appeals process works in 6 basic steps…
1. Call the financial aid office
Call the school’s financial aid office and ask about how to appeal. The appeals process might be called a “professional judgment review,” “special circumstances review,” or a simple financial aid appeal. The school may ask you to fill out a form covering the most common extenuating circumstances. Many schools also ask the family in question to write a letter.
2. Identify special circumstances
Identify whatever your specific special circumstances are. These are the reasons you’re making the appeal. Remember to focus on things you need, not things you simply want.
3. Write an appeals letter
Write the actual appeal letter, keeping it concise with a limit of two pages. Your letter will summarize your special circumstances and how they impact your or your family’s finances. List the most significant one first, and be specific when it comes to dates and finances. This should all be stuff that’s beyond your family’s control, and not due to personal discretion. And include your contact info – there may be follow-up questions from the office.
4. Don’t ask for a specific amount of money
Avoid asking for a specific amount of money. Any changes to your financial aid package are based on the special circumstances you listed. The FA office will make their own analysis, and if it’s greater than what you requested, they may just give you the requested amount in order to save money.
5. Provide third-party documentation
Now it’s time to provide third-party documentation of your social circumstances. This could be something like a copy of a layoff notice, medical bills, bank account statements, receipts, etc. You can even include letters from non-family supporters who want to help make the case for why you need a better financial aid package. Attach copies of the documentation/letters of support to the appeal letter. These won’t be returned, so it’s important you keep the originals for yourself..
6. Mail it!
Mail your appeal and follow up by calling each school about a week later.
What Happens If My Appeal Gets Approved?
If your appeal gets approved, congrats!
At this point, your job is done. Now, you’ll basically have a new expected family contribution (EFC) on your FAFSA, which will yield a new model of your financial need. The result is a new and improved financial aid package.