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How Awards Are Determined explains how we calculate Cost of Attendance Budgets and financial need based on data from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We use your budget and the Student Aid Index (SAI) from your FAFSA to determine your financial need for need-based aid programs.  Your budget also determines the total aid that you can receive from all aid programs each year (including student loans).  (Before the 2024-2025 aid year, the SAI was called an Expected Family Contribution.)

The standard FAFSA application process accurately collects most of the data we need, but if you have any of the special situations outlined below, you must submit additional information to request adjustments to your SAI and/or Cost of Attendance budget.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the FAFSA form collected 2022 income data.

Most approved adjustments will increase your financial need by decreasing your Student Aid Index (SAI). Because aid funds are limited, even if your financial need increases, it may not increase enough for you to become eligible for grants. 

Requesting Adjustments

• Please choose the relevant form(s) below.
• Please carefully follow all instructions and submit all required documentation.

Special Conditions Form (Income Changes)

If you experienced any of the RELEVANT SITUATIONS below, submit a form for the appropriate academic year. If you didn't experience any of the listed situations, we cannot reevaluate your financial need.

• 2024-2025 Special Conditions Form (PDF)

Relevant situations

• divorce or separation after the FAFSA was submitted
• the parent(s) of a dependent student, an independent student, or student's spouse had a significant reduction in annual family income since your FAFSA tax year because of job loss or changes
• loss of one-time income source that you only received during your FAFSA tax year
• loss/reduction of untaxed income received since your FAFSA tax year (i.e. child support ended)
• parent/spouse/student reported unusually high medical expense deductions on your FAFSA tax year or the following tax year.
• death of a dependent student’s parent or a student’s spouse (if the financial data reported on the FAFSA included the deceased spouse’s income)
• parent or spouse of student suffered permanent and total disability after January 1 of the prior academic year

Day Care or Elementary/Secondary Tuition Form

If you had day care or private elementary / secondary tuition expenses, submit this form for the appropriate academic year.

For dependent students, the expenses must be for your younger sibling.  Approved expenses can help to reduce your Student Aid Index (SAI).

For independent students, the expenses must be for your dependent child. Approved expenses can increase your Cost of Attendance, which will increase your need but will not change your SAI.

• 2024-2025 Day Care or Elementary / Secondary Tuition form (PDF)

Family Members in College Appeal Form

The standard 2024-2025 FAFSA formula doesn’t automatically adjust students' financial based on other family members in college. The FAFSA still asks about family members in college, but the federal financial need formula ignores that question.

To request a reevaluation of your financial need based on a sibling, parent, or student spouse in college use the form below.  Please note: These adjustments still may not increase your aid offers.

• 2024-2025 Family Members in College Appeal Form (PDF)

Housing Budget Increase Request Form

Your total aid from all sources (including loans) can’t exceed your assigned Cost of Attendance budget, which is normally based on these Standard Cost of Attendance budgets, but if your actual housing costs are higher than these standard allowances, you can ask us to increase your housing budget allowance based on your actual housing costs.

Budget increases usually only increase your maximum loan amounts, and rarely affect other aid. 

To begin this process, follow the instructions on this form.

• 2024-2025 Housing Budget Increase Request Form (PDF)