Financial Appeal Procedures
The Federal Student Handbook published by the Department of Education states the following: “The law governing FSA [Federal Student Aid] programs is based on the premise that the family is the first source of the student’s support, and the law provides several criteria that decide if the student is considered independent of his/her parents for aid eligibility. Note that a student reaching the age of 18 or 21 or living apart from his/her parents does not affect his/her dependency status.” (Application and Verification Guide, 2008-2009, AVG-22)
An appeal is an important document. The appeal is intended to accommodate extraordinary, mitigating or unusual circumstances (i.e., severe health issues, serious accidents, unemployment, loss of a parent, etc.). Technically, it is an earnest, focused and documented request for increased financial assistance in the event.