Special Circumstance Appeal

FAFSA and TASFA uses prior-prior-year tax data to determine the Student Aid Index (SAI); however, we recognize that a family’s financial situation can change within a two-year period. The Higher Education Act gives financial aid administrators the ability to update FAFSA to reflect the student and family’s current situation, which can alter the SAI.

The SAI is calculated by the information provided by FAFSA or TASFA. The SAI is emailed directly to students that complete FAFSA. Additionally, the SAI can be viewed on the FAFSA Submission Summary. You may also contact the financial aid office to discuss your SAI.

Important Information

If selected, Federal Verification must be completed before the appeal can be processed.

If your SAI is -1500 to 0, you have already been offered the maximum amount of aid you are eligible to receive and should not file a Special Circumstance Appeal. However, we encourage you to contact our office to speak with a Financial Aid Advisor about your situation. You may contact our office at [email protected] or 254-968-9070.

If your SAI is greater than 0, please review the following circumstances that do/do not qualify for this appeal and submission instructions.

The appeal process is a way for us to ensure you are receiving the maximum amount of aid possible based on the changes in your financial situation.

The following circumstances are acceptable:

  • Loss or reduction of income (e.g., job termination, pay reduction, parental/spousal death, and child support reduction/loss)
  • Divorce or separation
  • Non-recurring income
  • High medical and/or dental expenses paid out of pocket
  • Impacted by a natural disaster

If your circumstances change and you meet one of the criteria listed, you may contact a financial aid counselor at 254-968-9070 or [email protected] to discuss if you are eligible for this appeal.

The following circumstances are not considered acceptable:

  • Loss of overtime or bonus
  • Bankruptcy, foreclosures or collection costs associated with outstanding debts
  • Consumer debt (credit cards, car payments, loans, etc.)
  • Payments on back taxes owed to the IRS
  • Lottery or gambling winnings or losses
  • One-time income used for non-life essential items (e.g., family vacation)

*Dependent students will need a parent signature. StudentForms also gives parents the ability to e-sign the document.