How to appeal a decision that affects your financial aid

There are several reasons you might want to file an appeal:

• Special circumstances have significantly affected your financial situation since you filed your FAFSA or you can document expenses greater than your estimated cost of attendance
• You’re classified as a dependent on your FAFSA but you feel you should be classified as independent due to having special circumstances that might prohibit having a relationship with a parent
• You’re a nondegree student taking preparatory coursework
• You lost eligibility for the Jaguar Excellence Award and would like to appeal
• You’re not making satisfactory academic progress
• Your parents refuse to complete the FAFSA

Each type of appeal requires a different form and may require supporting documentation. Read the form carefully and be sure to submit all signatures, explanations, and documentation required.

You have special circumstances that weren’t documented on your FAFSA

If your family’s financial status has changed since you filed your FAFSA or if you had an expense that was not considered as part of the FAFSA, you may be able to file a special circumstance appeal.

Appeals will be reviewed within 21 business days of receipt.

Student Aid Index change*

If your family will be contributing less to your education than expected when you filed your FAFSA, you may be able to reduce your Student Aid Index (SAI). The following items may be taken into consideration:

• An involuntary decrease in income
• Loss of one-time or nonrecurring income
• You (or your parent, if you’re a dependent student) were separated, divorced, or widowed since filing the FAFSA

If you already have an index score between zero and -1,500, you should not submit an appeal for reconsideration. It will not result in you receiving additional aid.

* Formerly called Expected Family Contribution

Cost of attendance change

Certain types of expenses can increase your cost of attendance. You may be eligible for an increase if you had any of the following expenses not accounted for when you filed your FAFSA:

• Vehicle repair or mileage expenses
• Computer purchase
• Dependent care allowance
• Professional licensure exams (graduate students only)
• Other reasonable education-related expenses

Be aware that an increase in your cost of attendance won’t necessarily allow for an increase in the amount of financial aid you’re awarded. For example, if you’ve already been awarded the annual maximum in Federal Direct Loan funding, you won’t be eligible for an increase in this funding due to federal annual loan limits. However, you may be able to get a private loan or a Federal Direct Parent/Grad PLUS loan up to your new cost of attendance.

Other situations

If you feel you have a special circumstance that isn’t covered by a change to your Student Aid Index or cost of attendance, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for assistance.

Special circumstance appeal forms

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships with questions or to request these forms in an accessible format.

You want to be classified as independent

If you don’t meet the federal criteria for independent status on your FAFSA but feel you have unusual circumstances that would qualify you, you can request a dependency override. Submitted requests will be reviewed within 15 business days of receipt.

Unusual circumstances that may qualify you include an abusive family environment or being abandoned by your parents.

The following circumstances do not qualify students to be eligible as an Independent status and will not be approved when submitting a Dependency Override appeal:

• Your parents refuse to contribute to your education
• Your parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification
• Your parents don’t claim you as a dependent for income tax purposes
• You demonstrate total self-sufficiency

Dependency override forms

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships with questions or to request these forms in an accessible format.

Students are no longer required to submit a renewal appeal each year, but should let the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships know if circumstances have changed.

You’re a nondegree student taking preparatory coursework

If you haven’t been admitted into a degree-seeking program and or eligible-certificate program and you are taking coursework required for admission into the program, you must work with your academic advisor to complete the nondegree pre-requisite coursework form.

Submit a nondegree prerequisite coursework verification form if all of the following are true:

• You are taking courses at IU Indianapolis, IU Columbus, or IU Fort Wayne with the goal of being admitted to a degree-seeking or eligible certificate program at your home campus
• Your coursework is required to qualify for admission to the program (must be verified by an advisor in the department or school for each semester you request aid)
• You haven’t exceeded the maximum period of eligibility for federal student loans as a nondegree prerequisite student (one consecutive 12-month time period)
• Your enrollment during the verified semester matches the coursework listed on your verification form
• Your prerequisite courses for each semester are equal to or greater than half time
• Note that graduate students are not eligible for Grad PLUS loans while working on prerequisite courses.
• You have not borrowed the maximum amount of Federal Direct Loans as an undergraduate student.

Nondegree coursework verification forms

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships with questions or to request these forms in an accessible format.

You want to appeal to regain eligibility for your Jaguar Excellence Award

In order to renew your Jaguar Excellence award you must complete 24 credit hours each school year and maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA. Students who do not meet the enrollment or GPA requirements may submit an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

We’ve determined you are not meeting satisfactory academic progress

All IU Indianapolis students are required to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in an eligible degree or certificate program to be eligible for financial aid. Federal regulations require that your entire Indiana University academic record be reviewed, including semesters in which you did not apply for or receive financial aid. Please visit our page about maintaining your eligibility for more information. Submitted requests will be reviewed within 15 business days of receipt.

Your parent is not willing to file the FAFSA or refuses to provide support

Federal regulation allows students who have parents that refuse to complete the FAFSA and refuse to provide support to the student to receive an unsubsidized Direct loan. These students will remain a dependent student for financial aid purposes. Submitted requests will be reviewed within 15 business days of receipt.

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships with questions or to request this form in an accessible format.