Appeals & Processing

We understand that there may be circumstances that impact your ability to pay for college, and these may not always be clear in your initial financial aid applications. Maybe your or your parent's have experienced a change in income since the application was filed. Maybe you may have additional educational expenses that have not been included in your financial aid budget. Maybe you have changed your housing plan. If your financial circumstances changed after you filed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CA Dream Act Application, you may want to consider filing an appeal with CSUF.

The Office of Financial Aid may be able to adjust the following if you appeal is approved:

Changes in income
One time educational costs
Housing changes
Changes in dependency status
Award adjustments (although all awards are subject to availability of funds)

Learn More Below

Read below to learn more about the types of appeals, requirements, forms, deadlines, and other important information.

NOTE
Please inform our office of your "special circumstances" as soon as possible to make sure you receive the best financial aid package possible in a timely manner.

Deadline:

Please refer to the appeal form for deadline dates. Some funding may be limited so try to submit your appeal as early as possible.

EVALUATION PROCESS:

Appeals are typically reviewed in 2-4 weeks.
- During busy processing times (such as the summer), it may take longer for your appeal to be evaluated.
Once the review is completed,
- If your appeal is approved you will receive a revised financial aid notification via email and typically an appeal follow up form via US Mail.
- If your appeal is denied, you will receive an appeal follow up form to notify you of the reason(s) for the denial.

Types and Reasons for Appealing

Projected Year Income Appeal (PRJP & PRJS)

Financial Aid applications use tax information from the prior tax year. This appeal form is used to document changes in income from one tax year to the next tax year. This may be the result of loss of income or employment, separation or divorce, death of a parent. Forms can be downloaded online but must be submitted in person after meeting with a Financial Aid counselor. Forms with insufficient documentation will not be accepted, make sure all requested items are included prior to submission. If you are appealing a change in business income you will need to wait to file your appeal until after the next tax year has completed and you are able to obtain a tax transcript. Additionally if your appeal is initially denied you may be able to provide a copy of the next tax year's tax transcript to see if the final income information is different then projected.

Please note: Appeal forms for the next academic year are typically released in July.

Student Budget or Additional Expenses Appeal (BGAP)

In some cases, the unusual expenses you incur during an academic year may be considered in determining the amount of your financial aid eligibility. The Office of Financial Aid will evaluate your expenses and may make changes to your financial aid awards. Documentation must provided before expenses are incurred during the academic year, see form for specific dates.

Examples of additional expenses include: Medical, Dental, or Vision Care Expenses; Car Repair Expenses; Excessive Mileage; Child Care; Books and Supplies in Excess of Standard; and/or One-Time Computer Expense.

Appeals must include receipts, billing statements, or other forms of documentation that can verify the expense incurred.

Click for the Student Budget Adjustment Appeal Form

Changes in Housing Plan (HPLN)

You may have listed a specific housing plan on your financial aid application and now your plans have changed. You can use this form to update your housing plan which may result in modified financial aid eligibility.

Click for the Housing Update Form

Award Adjustment Appeal (AWAP)

This appeal is used to change accepted forms of financial aid such as a student loan, PLUS loan, Private loan, or Federal Work-Study. You can indicate on the form if you would like the whole award canceled or a portion of the award. If the award has already been disbursed to your campus account and a refund has been issued you may incur a balance on your account. We can not cancel your full FWS award if you have already earned some of the funding.

You can also use this form to update the office of your change in graduation date, grade level, or academic plan.

Click for the Award Adjustment Appeal Form

Dependency Override (DPOR & DORR)

On this page we explain who must provide parent information and the concept of Dependency Status. Sometimes students who do not meet the federal criteria for independent status wish to be considered as an independent student. The dependency override appeal process allows a student with extenuating circumstances to appeal so they might be considered independent, even though they do not meet any of the independent student criteria on the financial aid applications. If your appeal is based solely on the fact that you do not live with or receive support from your parents, your appeal will be denied. It is highly advised that you meet with a financial aid counselor about your situation prior to submitting this appeal.

Dependency Override Appeal Form - Used for initial dependency appeals
Dependency Override Renewal Form - Dependency override status must be renewed each year to confirm a student remains eligible for this special consideration.

What if I don’t have special circumstances, but my parents refuse to help me pay for college and won’t provide their information?

Unfortunately, a parent’s refusal to assist a student with their college expenses is not sufficient to warrant a Dependency Override. Federal financial aid applicants who are considered a dependent student and their parents did not provide information on the FAFSA application may be eligible for Unsubsidized Loan.

Click to learn more about a Parent Statement of Non-Support for FAFSA fliers.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (ASAP, AUCT, & USAP)

Students are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and are evaluated yearly, as we explain on our SAP page. If it has been determined that a student is not meeting they can appeal their SAP status.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form - Use this form to request an exception to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy if your eligibility for financial aid has been terminated. See form for complete instructions.
Unit Cap Appeal Form - Use this form to request an extension of financial aid eligibility beyond the standard “unit cap” for your academic program if you have been notified that your eligibility has been or is about to be terminated. See form for complete instructions.
SAP Correction/Update Form - Use this form to provide documentation of additional units earned so that they may be included for review of your "satisfactory academic progress" status. See form for complete instructions.

If the above forms and processes do not capture your unique circumstances, please contact us for further assistance.