Financial Aid

Special Circumstance Requests

If you or your family have encountered personal or financial hardships that were not accurately reflected at the time you filled out your FAFSA, Financial Aid can review your file for consideration of special circumstances. In some cases, a loss of income has occurred that can directly affect the outcome of your FAFSA results. Since your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is based on the previous year’s income, a loss of income for the current year may reduce your EFC, which will result in additional need eligibility.

Note: If your FAFSA's EFC is already at 0 then a Special Circumstances Request will not result in any increase in aid to the student.

Accepted Scenarios and Typical Supporting Documentation:

• Loss of Student/Parent Income due to divorce, death, or separation of the parents.
  • Typical Supporting Documents: Legal separation papers, verification from attorney, or divorce decree; death certificate; current year tax return; UT Tyler Financial Aid Verification documents.
• Loss of Student/Parent Income due to job loss or termination.
  • Typical Supporting Documents: Letter, on company letterhead, indicating last day of employment, date of final paycheck, severance pay information; current year tax return; UT Tyler Financial Aid Verification documents.
• Loss of Student/Parent Income due to health, disability, injury or natural disaster.
  
  • Typical Supporting Documents: Documentation of unemployment compensation, disability benefits, SS benefits, current year tax return; UT Tyler Financial Aid Verification documents.
• Loss of a one-time "lump sum" payment of money from prior year income that is no longer available.
  • Typical Supporting Documents: Documentation explaining source of nonrecurring income military bonus, divorce, death, etc; current year tax return; UT Tyler Financial Aid Verification documents.

Submitting a Special Circumstance:

Use the form below to complete and submit the special circumstances request. The form and all supporting documents can be mailed, e-mailed or dropped off in person at the One-Stop Service Center. Remember that this request requires multiple supporting documents in addition to the form. A completed form with ALL supporting documents must be submitted at the same time. Incomplete submissions will be immediately rejected and deleted or shredded. If your submission is rejected you will receive an e-mail to re-submit the entire packet.

What Happens Next:

Upon receipt of all required documents, a preliminary review to ensure the submission is accurate and complete. Within 1 week of submission you will be notified if there are any questions or if any additional documentation is required. Once the submission is verified as complete, the financial aid office will process updates to your FAFSA. A financial aid officer will contact you with the results. Expect a three week turn-around time in full process once a completed submission is received.

Questions

If you have any questions about if you qualify for a special circumstance you can call our One-Stop at:

903.566.7180
enroll@uttyler.edu