Other Special Circumstances

Click below for more information regarding these types of other special circumstances.

Cost of Attendance (Budget)

Each aid applicant is assigned a budget and Cost of Attendance (COA), which is an estimate of expenses they may incur in an academic year. If a student’s COA does not accurately reflect their expenses, they may request a reevaluation by submitting a Budget Adjustment Form with supporting documentation.

Budget adjustments may be approved for:

  • Purchase of a personal computer
  • Expenses associated with a disability
  • Child care costs
  • Unusual transportation expenses
  • Room and board expenses

Dependency status is based on information provided on the FAFSA. Most undergraduate students are dependent and must report parental information on the FAFSA. A student who does not meet FAFSA requirements for independent status can be considered independent by submitting a Dependency Override Request Form with supporting documentation. Parents’ refusal to provide income information on the FAFSA is not a sufficient reason for dependency override approval.