Exceptional Circumstances
最常见的环境变化发生在家庭失业或收入减少的时候, the death or divorce of student's parent or spouse, or a change in student's marital status. 经济援助办公室可能会考虑学生的特殊情况，对用于计算预期家庭贡献(EFC)的FAFSA数据元素进行调整和/或更改学生的抚养状态, 根据联邦教育法和美国教育部制定的指导方针.S. Department of Education.
在审查您的上诉之前，经济援助部门必须将您的联邦学生援助免费申请(FAFSA)存档. 对于特殊情况有两种不同的上诉程序:专业判断和依赖撤销.
Professional Judgment
Eligibility for financial aid is determined by the FAFSA, 哪一个目前使用两年前的财务信息来估计一个家庭目前的情况.
When unusual situations occur, 通过专业判断(PJ)程序，可以根据学生目前的情况审查他们的援助资格.
All Professional Judgment applications are required 有详细的解释信和证明文件. 财政援助部门可能会要求额外的文件, beyond what is requested on the appeal form, to support your unusual circumstance.
你需要在你的专业判断申请表上注明申请调整FAFSA信息的年份. 经批准的专业判断仅适用于获得批准的FAFSA年度. 您可能需要使用相同的证明文件，填写一份多年的专业判断请求表格.
Circumstances NOT considered:
- Mortgage payments
- Credit card/other personal debts
- Standard living expenses (utilities, car payments, etc.)
- Filing for bankruptcy
- Vacation expenses
- Elective surgeries
- All other discretionary expenses
- Different university offering more aid
- Reduction in 401K/investment values
- 父母无力或不愿借Parent PLUS贷款
- 学生的预期家庭贡献(EFC)已经为0
Types of Professional Judgment
1. Change to Expected Family Contribution (EFC): If an adjustment to the student’s EFC is approved, an adjustment will be made to the student’s FAFSA. When the student’s corrected FAFSA returns, 经济援助部门将对学生援助进行所有必要的更新. 支持文件将保存在学生的经济援助文件中.
可考虑进行EFC调整的情况示例:
- Loss of employment or underemployment
- Divorce/Separation of parents/spouse
- Change of marital status for dependent students
- Death of parent(s) or spouse
A change to the EFC could, but is not guaranteed to, result in a change of eligibility for need based awards.
2. Change to Cost of Attendance (COA):如果增加学生的出勤费用预算被批准, the student’s budget will be adjusted accordingly. 支持文件将保存在学生的经济援助文件中.
对COA的更改不会导致对基于需求的奖励资格的更改, 只会增加学生的助学金预算，包括PLUS和私人贷款.
To apply, complete the Exceptional Circumstance Request Form.
注意:经批准的专业判断上诉可能不会导致学生经济援助奖励计划的改变.
Dependency Override
在涉及特殊情况的情况下，财政援助管理人员有权将学生的身份从依赖改为独立. For financial aid purposes, 学生被认为是受抚养的，应该在FAFSA上提供家长信息，除非学生是:
- at least 24 years old
- married
- serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces
- a veteran
- 为与学生同住的受抚养子女或其他受抚养人提供一半以上的支持
- an emancipated minor
- homeless
- assigned a legal guardian before the age of 18
The U.S. 教育部也给出了指导意见，说明哪些情况符合或不符合需要撤销依赖关系的特殊情况. In particular, 以下情况不值得依赖项覆盖, either alone or in combination:
- Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education
- 家长不愿意提供有关申请或验证过程的信息
- 家长不要求学生作为受抚养人缴纳所得税
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
有时，与上面列出的情况一起发生的其他情况确实需要依赖项覆盖. These can include, but are not limited to, the following:
- an abusive family environment (e.g.性、身体或精神虐待或其他形式的家庭暴力)
- abandonment by parents
- incarceration or institutionalization of both parents
- 缺乏身体或精神能力来提供支持的父母
- parents whereabouts unknown or parents cannot be located
- parents hospitalized for an extended period
- an unsuitable household (e.g.儿童被从家庭中带走，并被安置在寄养、辅导等机构.)
如果你有不寻常的情况，需要开始上诉程序，完成 Exceptional Circumstance Request Form.