Sonoma State University

Special Circumstances Appeal

Before submitting a Special Circumstances Appeal for Preliminary Review to our office, you must have completed the appropriate Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with SSU's school code of 001156.

To expedite consideration of special circumstances, complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using actual income from the year requested on the FAFSA as soon as possible. Be sure to complete all tasks in MyFA Forms as soon as you are notified of them. It is a federal requirement that the verification process is completed prior to the processing of a Special Circumstances Appeal. More details about verification can be found on our To-Do List Notifications page,  What Does It Mean to be "Selected for Verification?".

Special circumstances can be one of the following:

EFC/SAI Appeal-Significant changes in your family’s financial circumstances that may affect the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)/Student Aid Index (SAI) calculated on the FAFSA

Typically, consideration is limited to the following situation:

  • Death of a parent or spouse after FAFSA was filed, or separation/divorce after FAFSA was filed
  • Job loss or job change, retirement, or loss of financial benefit
  • One-time, non-recurring income that won’t be received in subsequent years
  • Dependent student married after the FAFSA was filed (and before August 1 of the academic year)

A review of a Special Circumstances Appeal does not guarantee an increase in financial aid. The request may result in a decrease in financial aid if the financial information on the FAFSA is underreported.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Appeal-Increase the standard Cost of Attendance which typically allows a student to borrow additional loan funds, subject to annual loan limits and/or credit approval.

Typically, consideration is limited to the following situation:

  • Fees - Registration fees and special costs associated with certain student courses, such as counseling, Nursing, Extended Education Special Sessions and intersession courses that meet degree or major requirements.
  • Course Materials - Adjustments may be considered if the total amount of semester's expenses exceeds the standard budget allowance, costs of obtaining a license, certification or first professional credential.
  • Transportation - A standard mileage adjustment may be considered for round trip mileage to attend classes and transportation to a place of work that exceeds 16 miles per day.
  • Childcare - Costs for childcare based on student schedule and days in class
  • Disability Related Educational Expenses - Educational expenses related to your disability and not covered by another agency
  • Computer Expenses - purchase of a computer, printer, software, modem, etc., limited to $1,500

All forms will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis according to the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Education.

PLEASE NOTE: For newly admitted Fall semester students, you may have to decide if SSU is affordable for you based on the financial aid award you are offered without consideration of special circumstances.

Deadlines for Submitting Requests

Fall 2024 - Spring 2025

Please Note: Due to the late release of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Department of Education's (ED) delay in processing applications, we anticipate 2024-2025 Special Circumstance Appeals to be available sometime in March 2024. 

  • Attending Academic Year (fall and spring): May 1, 2025
  • Attending Fall 2024 only: December 1, 2024
  • Attending Spring 2025 only: May 1, 2025

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026

  • Attending Academic Year (fall and spring): May 1, 2026
  • Attending Fall 2025 only: December 1, 2025
  • Attending Spring 2026 only: May 1, 2026

Timeline for Processing of Requests

You will receive an initial response to your Special Circumstances Appeal for Preliminary Review within 21 business days. You will be notified whether your appeal is eligible for further consideration. The response will indicate whether your circumstances meet the requirements of our policy. If the circumstances meet our policy, we will let you know if it appears the income change will result in additional financial aid resources and what further documentation may be required. Finally, the response will let you know when processing of your request will be completed.

Special Circumstance Appeal Forms

Make sure you review and request the correct form for the appropriate financial aid year. The semesters that correspond to each financial aid award year are listed in MyFA Forms.

The Special Circumstances Appeals are located on the MyFA Forms portal.  After logging into MyFA Forms, click on the "Manage Requests" link located in the upper right-hand corner of the portal landing page.  Once the Manage Requests box opens up, select the appropriate appeal request for the appropriate academic/FAFSA year.