Financial Aid Special Circumstances

The Chabot College Financial Aid Office recognizes there may be special circumstances that affect a student’s eligibility for aid, that were not accounted for on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CA Dream Act Application (CADAA).

It is important that the student make us aware of circumstances that they believe are not reflected accurately on your FAFSA or CADAA. When special circumstances exist, the U.S. Department of Education gives Financial Aid staff the ability to make adjustments to the data on the FAFSA or CADAA to more accurately reflect the student’s and/or parent’s family’s current situation.

However, it is the student’s responsibility to initiate such a request through the appeal process. Contact your assigned Financial Aid Advisor to discuss your special circumstance and obtain the form needed for your appeal. Note: Overrides do not carry over from one year to the next; the Financial Aid Office must reaffirm each year that the unusual circumstances persist and an override is still justified.

Petition for Independency (change a dependent student’s status to independent)

Students who are unable to provide parent data on the FAFSA, can indicate on the FAFSA that they believe they have special circumstances that prevent them from providing parent data. Doing so will allow the student to submit their application without entering data about their parents. However, it is important for the student to understand that although the FAFSA will be submitted, it will not be fully processed, therefore the financial aid office will not be able to calculate eligibility for the CCPG enrollment waiver and/or federal and state financial aid. The student must immediately contact the Financial Aid Office to initiate a dependency override.

Staff will review the student’s situation and determine if he/she (1) merits a dependency override (2) must instead provide parent data, or (3) should be permitted to borrow only unsubsidized Stafford loans because he/she can document that his/her parents have refused to support him and to provide.

Unusual circumstances include: abandonment by parents, an abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety, or the student being unable to locate his parents. Documentation is critical – it must support, and include the reason for the appeal and should originate from a third party (e.g. legal/court paperwork, teacher, counselor, medical authority, clergy, prison administrator, government agency, or other independent source of information, on their letterhead) with knowledge of the student's unusual circumstance. Information or letters of support from family, friends, or not on a professional's letterhead will typically not be acceptable documentation.
Unusual circumstances DO NOT include: Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education, Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification, Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes, and/or student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

Special Circumstance Petition (SAI/EFC Adjustment)

The Special Circumstance Petition allows students and families to request a reevaluation of the information used to calculate their Student Aid Index (SAI) — formerly known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) — due to significant changes in financial circumstances.

The SAI is a number used by colleges to determine your eligibility for need-based financial aid. Unlike the previous EFC, the SAI can be as low as -1500, allowing for a more accurate reflection of financial need in extreme hardship cases.

The Financial Aid Office will review your petition upon submission of the required form and supporting documentation. Submitting a petition does not guarantee a change to your financial aid eligibility or award. The outcome will be based on a careful review of your individual circumstances.

Circumstances That May Be Considered for a Special Circumstance Petition:

Recent unemployment of a family member or an independent student;
Tuition expenses at an elementary or secondary school;
Medical, dental, or nursing home expenses not covered by insurance;
Unusually high child care or dependent care costs;
A student or family member who is a dislocated worker (as defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998);
The number of parents enrolled at least half time in a degree, certificate, or other program leading to a recognized educational credential at an institution with a program participation agreement under section 487;
A change in housing status that results in an individual being homeless (as defined in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act); or
Other changes in a family’s income, a family’s assets or a student’s status.

Circumstances That Will Not Be Considered:

Private elementary or secondary school tuition (unless required by learning disabilities and the like)
Pending reduction in income due to fluctuating commissions, consumer debt (unless necessitated by economic hardship)
Refusal of a parent to provide financial support to the applicant/student
Anything that “might happen” in the future.

Important Notes:

If your Student Aid Index (SAI) or EFC is already 0 or below, you likely do not need to submit this petition.
Your FAFSA must be completed and all required documentation submitted before turning in the Special Circumstances Form.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal

Please visit out Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) website for more information including the Appeal Form.

Under certain circumstances, students who fail to meet SAP standards and lose eligibility for financial aid may appeal the financial aid disqualification. An appeal process is not required by the Department of Education and is at the discretion of the colleges. Students must clearly state what caused the problem and must also clearly indicate what has changed that will now allow the student to succeed.