Special Circumstances: Change in Financial Situation
If a student and/or parent has experienced a situation that has altered their financial profile from that which is reflected on the current academic year’s FAFSA, they may complete a Special Conditions Form (SCF) to document the change. We provide separate SCFs for dependent undergraduate students, independent undergraduate students, graduate students, and parents. The SCF categories connected with a change in finances are as follows:
For dependent undergraduates
- A significant decrease in income from 2007 (the year upon which the 2008-2009 FAFSA is based) to 2008.
- A loss of Social Security benefits or other untaxed income.
For independent undergraduates or graduate students
- A significant decrease in income from 2007 (the year upon which the 2008-2009 FAFSA is based) to 2008, on the part of the student and/or the student’s spouse, if applicable.
- A loss of Social Security benefits or other untaxed income, on the part of the student and/or the student’s spouse, if applicable.
- A married student’s becoming separated, divorced, or widowed in 2008 since filing the FAFSA.
For parents (of dependent students)
- Unemployment for at least ten consecutive weeks in 2008.
- A loss of Social Security benefits or other untaxed income.
- A married parent’s becoming separated, divorced, or widowed in 2008 since filing the FAFSA.
- Enrollment in a full-time degree program during Fall 2008 and/or Spring 2009.
Changes in both student and parent finances are considered since, in the case of dependent students, both student and parent information figures into the calculation of the Expected Family Contribution (correspondingly, the parent SCF can only be used by parent[s] who appear on the FAFSA).
The Special Conditions Form is an appeal, subject to review and approval. SCFs are available at our office and on our website (under Forms > Appeals). Further details about the appeal process can be found directly on the SCF.