Resources & Information for EKU Faculty, Staff, and Students

EKU Logo
EKU Logo
eku.edu OneLogin Search

Professional Judgment Appeal

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not provide students the opportunity to explain unusual or special circumstances affecting their ability to complete the FAFSA.

Unusual Circumstances

The EKU Financial Aid Office is aware that students may have unusual circumstances that prevent them from having a relationship with their parent(s)/guardians/contributors and therefore makes it difficult to obtain parental information for the FAFSA. In these situations, students can initiate a Dependency Override appeal. A dependency override appeal is appropriate when a student has an unusual circumstance that is not already listed on the dependency portion of the FAFSA.  If approved, a financial aid administrator can override the FAFSA to grant a student independent status.

Dependency Override

Special Circumstances

Students and their families may also have special circumstances where their financial, marital, or dependency situations may not be accurately represented by the FAFSA. Professional judgment can be used in these situations to make changes on a case-by-case basis. In these instances, appeals are submitted that allow the student to explain their extenuating circumstances by writing a statement and providing supporting documentation. If approved, this allows a financial aid administrator to make changes as needed to a student’s FAFSA and/or financial aid awards. There may be cases where a student is approved and it does not effect their financial aid award offer.

All Professional Judgment (PJ) Appeals for special circumstances are now submitted online via Slate. Below are a few types of adjustments that could be made for eligible students, should their personal circumstances warrant a financial aid recalculation after the FAFSA has been filed:

  • A change in household income
  • Loss of one-time income (i.e., retirement withdrawals, lottery winnings, etc.)
  • A change in the student’s or parent’s marital status
  • Loss of child support payments
  • One-time purchase of a laptop (up to $1,000) for students at their financial aid budget, but who still have annual aid eligibility
  • Unusual medical or dental expenses
  • Death of a parent or spouse
  • A parent or other household members who are attending college at least half-time

Note: A FAFSA must be on file with the university before a Professional Judgment appeal can be considered. Be advised that costs associated with discretionary lifestyle choices/consumer indebtedness (house payments, car expenses, living without roommates, credit card debt, mandatory bankruptcy payments, vacations, wedding expenses, tithing, etc.) cannot be considered a special circumstance.

Professional Judgment Appeal