Special Circumstances
According to the FAFSA Simplification Act, special circumstances refer to the financial situations (loss of job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting a student's cost of attendance (COA) or Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation. These adjustments are considered to be a professional judgment of the aid administrator.
Please note that student who have been selected for verification must complete the verification process before requesting any Special Circumstance Appeal.
Types of Special Circumstance Appeals
EFC Calculation Appeal
Sometimes information you provide on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) no longer accurately reflects your or your family’s financial situation. If your financial circumstances have changed, there are situations where financial aid professionals at the University can review and update your FAFSA to reflect these changes. These changes may - or may not - impact your financial aid. Refer to our EFC Calculation Appeal webpage for more details.
Budget Review
The cost of attendance (COA) represents a realistic estimate of modest costs associated with attending one of West Virginia University’s campuses. If your actual expenses are greater than those represented on the standard cost of attendance, you can submit a Budget Review Form. If approved, you may have additional loan and/or outside scholarship eligibility, but you will not, in most situations, receive additional institutional scholarship or grant assistance. Refer to our Budget Review webpage for more details.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal
Students must maintain a level of academic progress toward completing their degree or teacher certification to retain eligibility for aid — including student loans, parent loans, federal work-study, and grants.
Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is measured at the end of the spring semester for students enrolled in the preceding summer, fall, or spring semesters. If a student not enrolled in those semesters later submits a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a manual review is completed to determine the student's SAP status for financial aid. The measurement will be based on the student's current academic record at the time of review. Students enrolling at the institution for the first time are considered to be making SAP (including incoming first-time freshmen and first-time transfer students). Refer to our Satisfactory Academic Progress webpage for more details and deadlines.