Financial Aid Appeal Process

If it has been determined that you are ineligible for Financial Aid because you did not meet one or more of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, you can appeal this decision by submitting additional information regarding the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from meeting these standards.

To submit a SAP appeal electronically visit https://shastacollege.studentforms.com, select the “Appeals” tab then click on “Manage Requests” Then select SAP appeal.

If you were considered a dependent on your FAFSA and are unable to provide your parent(s) information due to any of the extenuating circumstances, you can submit a request to have your dependency status reconsidered. Extenuating circumstances do include (and may cause any of the aforementioned conditions) parent abandonment, an abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety, or the student being unable to locate his parents. In such cases an override might be warranted.

To submit a Dependency Appeal electronically visit https://shastacollege.studentforms.com, select the “Appeals” tab then click on “Manage Requests” and then select "Professional Judgement: Unusual Circumstance Appeal."

Typical documentation that should be gathered prior to submitting the appeal:

Any third party documentation that validates the reasoning for the inability to provide your parent(s) information. Examples of third party documentation: Police Reports, Social Services reports, letters/statements from employers, counselors, or teachers who know your circumstances, or medical reports, etc.

Appeals submitted without third party documentation will be delayed and possibly not approved for an appeal depending upon the reasoning.

If you or household’s current income is different from the income reported on the FAFSA due to unforeseen circumstances, you may submit a request to reprocess your FAFSA using current and/or projected income.

Typical documentation that should be gathered prior to submitting the appeal:

Any documents that can prove your household income changed between the 2021 tax year and 2023 tax year:

• 2022 Income Documents (IRS Tax Transcript, IRS Wage and Income Transcripts, W2’s, etc.)
• 2023 Income Documents (pay stubs year to date, EDD Unemployment statements, W2's, bank statements, etc.)
• If the EFC/Income Adjustment is due to unusual expenses that occurred this year, you will need to provide documentation about the expenses (e.g., receipts, bank statements, court document, etc.)
• If you are a dependent student, you will need to provide documentation about your parent(s)’ and your income change
• If you are an independent student, you will need to provide documentation about your income change (and your spouse’s income, if married)

We will not accept nor process EFC/Income Adjustments without documentation.

In addition, you will be asked to submit a detailed explanation of the changes to your household’s income. Your explanation should match your documentation; please provide relevant dates.

You may be contacted to provide additional documentation and/or a more detailed explanation.

To submit a EFC/Income Adjustment Appeal electronically visit https://shastacollege.studentforms.com, select the “Appeals” tab then click on “Manage Requests” and then select Family Contribution Appeal.