Special Circumstances for Financial Aid

We know and understand that sometimes the FAFSA doesn’t capture a student’s true financial situation and their ability to invest in their education. If you feel this applies to you, please review these options.

Special Circumstance Appeal

• Loss of employment or reduction in wages
• Loss of benefits or untaxed income
• Retirement
• Divorce or separation of parent/spouse
• Death of a parent/spouse
• Continuing and unusually high medical and/or dental expenses not itemized on Federal Tax Returns or covered by insurance
• One time income

If any of the above circumstances apply to you, please complete and submit our Special Circumstance Appeal Form for Dependent students or the Special Circumstance Appeal Form for Independent students, along with any supporting documentation. These forms can be found on our Financial Aid Forms webpage.

Unusual Circumstance Appeal

If you have submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, several questions will address a student’s dependency status. Most students are considered dependent on their parents, which means your parents must provide information on the FAFSA. Queens recognizes that you may face challenging circumstances and need to request a reconsideration of your dependency. The unusual circumstance appeal is performed on a case-by-case basis for students who may meet one of the following criteria:

• An abusive family environment
• Abandonment and estrangement by parents
• Incarceration or institutionalization of both parents
• Parents cannot be located

The following circumstances would not be considered for an unusual circumstance appeal:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA.
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent student for income tax purposes.

You will be asked to supply the following information to the Student Financial Services Office:

• Personal statement explaining your unusual circumstance. All information will be kept confidential.
  • Please include details such as the following: situation, how you are meeting financial needs, and details surrounding your current unusual circumstance.
• Submit a signed and dated statement from an impartial third party that can verify your unusual circumstance.
  • This can include a counselor, employer, clergy member, doctor, mental health provider, or lawyer.
• Please provide a personal reference who can verify your unusual circumstance.
• Submit any other documentation that supports your case. Depending on the nature of your situation, the Queens Student Financial Services Office reserves the right to request additional documentation of your unusual circumstance at any time.

Please notify the Student Financial Services Office of your intention to request an Unusual Circumstance Appeal (sfs@queens.edu, 704-337-2225).

Student Financial Services Counselors will work with you on how to submit documentation for the appeal.