Special/Unusual Circumstances - Professional Judgement

Have a special circumstance? The Financial Aid Office can use professional judgment to help eligible students receive financial aid.

If Interested please fill out the Professional Judgment Form

PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT

Professional Judgment refers to the school's authority to adjust, on a case-by-case basis, the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that the Department of Education can recalculate the Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is the number the school uses to determine if a student is eligible for need-based financial aid.

Please Note: The school does not have the authority to make direct adjustments to the SAI or the formula used to calculate the SAI, just data elements on the FAFSA that may change the SAI.

The professional judgment process is an extensive process that requires a thorough review by the Financial Aid Office to determine what, if any changes, may be appropriate based on your FAFSA application. It is a time-sensitive process that includes the following steps:

  • Once a Professional Judgment request is submitted, a task will be added to the student’s Student Forms account within 10 business days.
  • The student will be able to submit all documentation required for the Professional Judgment on Student Forms.
  • The student if necessary may also be institutionally selected for Verification (if not previously selected). Be aware that during the Verification process, corrections to your FAFSA may be required which can result in a change to a student's aid eligibility.
  • The file will then be reviewed to determine if all required documentation has been submitted. If additional documentation is required, the student will be notified by email.
  • The Financial Aid Office will determine if a student's Professional Judgment request meets the criteria to make data element changes to their FAFSA within 10 business days.
  • If approved, appropriate changes will be made to the student's FAFSA and submitted to the Department of Education. The Department of Education will then recalculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) and the student's eligibility for need-based aid. The student will be notified by email.
  • If denied, the student will be notified by email.

In many cases, an adjustment does not increase the student's eligibility for grants or the total amount of aid awarded. The Financial Aid office reserves the right to deny any appeals that would not increase a student's eligibility for aid.

Special Circumstances

Kingsborough Community College (KBCC) recognizes that special circumstances may occur after the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is completed, which may affect a student’s eligibility for Federal financial aid. If you, your spouse, or parent(s) have experienced a significant decrease in income since the income used on the FAFSA due to one of the conditions described on this form, you may be eligible for Special Circumstances Adjustment.

Reasons for request

  • Loss or Reduction of Income
  • Disability
  • Loss of Untaxed Income (SSI, Child Support, Etc.)
  • Divorce/ Separation
  • Death
  • Excessive Medical/ Dental Expenses
  • Excessive Property Loss/Damage due to a declared natural disaster
  • Roth IRA Conversion
  • Other

Unusual Circumstances

Students who do not meet the federal criteria to be considered independent based on the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may submit this form with supporting documentation for review to determine if unusual circumstances exist for granting a dependency status adjustment. Unusual Circumstances are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for students.

The following are circumstances that will NOT be considered:

  • Parent(s) refusal to contribute to the student’s education;
  • Parent(s) did not claim student on their tax returns;
  • Parent(s) unwillingness to provide information on the FAFSA;
  • Student demonstrates total financial self–sufficiency.
Provisional Independent Status

Provisional independent status is granted to students who indicate on the FAFSA that they have unusual circumstances that prevent them from contacting their parents or obtaining their information to complete the FAFSA. In such cases, the student will be eligible to skip any questions about parents and submit their FAFSA form as an independent student. The FAFSA will calculate a provisional Student Aid Index (SAI) to estimate eligibility based on income, family size, and other relevant data on the FAFSA. However, the application is still considered to be incomplete. The provisional SAI is subject to a final review by the Office of Financial Aid which may change a student’s eligibility for federal student aid. See the appeal process outlined above to determine federal student aid eligibility for students with provisional independent status.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Appeal

You may experience unforeseen expenses during the academic year that are not accounted for in the typical estimated cost of attendance. The COA appeal allows students with unforeseen expenses to request an increase in their COA by submitting an appeal and supporting documentation. Below are examples of the allowable expenses a student can request in their appeal. Supporting documentation is required.

  • Housing – costs that exceed the basic student budget for reasonable, justified living accommodations are acceptable. However, you are expected to seek housing within the budgeted housing allowance. If you have roommates, your costs will be divided by the number of roommates.
  • Medical, Dental, and Optical – expenses not covered by insurance are included in the “Personal Expenses” category of the basic budget. Projected expenses that occur during the academic year can be considered when you present a signed healthcare provider’s statement, written on letterhead, indicating the treatment required, cost, and scheduled date of treatment
  • Required Education Costs – If your books and supplies costs are above the basic “Books and Supplies” category of the student expense budget, then a student can provide proof of the additional course requirement.
Examples of expenses not allowed:
  • Cable bill
  • Credit card debt
  • Car payments
  • Trips for entertainment purposes