TUN sits down with Megan Walter, a policy analyst with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), for tips on how students should write their financial aid appeal letter.

TUN: Megan, thanks for joining us. 

WALTER: Happy to be here. Thanks for having me. 

So, when is it fair for students to appeal their financial aid offers?

Before I answer that, I’m just going to back up a little bit to give some background. So, financial aid administrators have the discretion to modify FAFSA-reported parent or student income information on the FAFSA in special circumstances, on a case-by-case basis, in a process called professional judgment. 

Since the FAFSA asks for income information from two years prior, it’s very possible that things have changed financially for a family since then, and that would be a case to appeal or ask for a professional judgment review of their financial aid package. 

Some examples that could trigger a professional judgment review would include: the recent unemployment of a family member; abandonment by parents; marriage; divorce; separation; excessive medical, dental, or nursing care expenses; substantial changes to the family’s income or assets; or even an unusual one-time income event that inflated the income that you put on the FAFSA application. 

Any student experiencing circumstances that are different from the information reported on their most recent FAFSA should make their financial aid office aware of their specific circumstances in a letter or by completing a form provided by the school. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that you’ll most likely need to provide documentation to prove the specific circumstances that are happening. 

Great. So, what information should students typically include in their financial aid appeal letters? If they aren’t sure, where or who should they reach out to? 

Sure. While there are rules that financial aid administrators have to follow for the professional judgment reviews, there’s no standard form or letter that every institution has to use. In fact, institutions can choose whether or not to allow professional judgments at all and can decide what circumstances they will and won’t consider your application for review. 

So, if you’re a student and you believe that you may qualify for a professional judgment review, you should first reach out to the financial aid office or search your financial aid office’s website to see if there’s a specific process that the institution is implementing. 

Some schools may have a standard form to fill out, while others may just ask for a letter written by the student explaining the reason for their request. 

If the student has a legitimate reason for a review, the financial aid office should follow up with you and let you know which documentation they’ll need to complete the review. This could be items like most recent tax returns, copies of marriage or divorce certificates, or medical bills. 

Great. So, what tone, format, and style should students use while writing their financial aid appeal letters?

If the institution asks for an appeal letter and offers no template or guidelines for writing it, the student should really focus on the content and the tone of the letter. They should start with what they’re asking for and the specific reason why. 

An example could be: “I’m writing to appeal my financial aid package because my mom lost her job since we filed our [tax year] taxes and has been unemployed since. The reported gross adjusted income on the FAFSA no longer matches our reality.” 

Then they should follow up with as many details as possible — for example, the date that their mom lost their job, the salary that she lost, and any attempts on her behalf to find employment in the meantime. 

If prompted by the office for specific documentation, the student should attach anything they have to make their case on the appeal letter as well. I would also suggest keeping notes of any conversation you have with the financial aid office and copies of any documents that you send them, as you may not get them back. 

As for the tone of the letter, there’s no real right or wrong here. My best advice is to keep it simple and clear. Be respectful and not demanding.

Great. So, do you have any additional tips that you would tell students who need to appeal their financial aid?

Sure. I think the most important tip I could give is to reach out to the financial aid office as soon as possible after receiving your aid package, if you need to repeal your aid, because the information you put on the FAFSA doesn’t match your current reality. 

Months before the start of the fall semester or the spring semester, financial aid offices are already incredibly busy. So, the sooner you get your documents together and start the conversation with the office the better. 

Great. So, if financial aid appeals are rejected, what should students do next? Do you have any advice?

There’s no guarantee that if you submit a professional judgment review, the school will adjust your financial package. Every student’s situation is different. Funding at each institution is finite. And policies can vary by school. 

In the case that your appeal request is denied, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of options. I would suggest that you follow up with the financial aid office to learn why your request was denied (if you haven’t learned that already) and what other community or institutional resources may be available to you. 

There may be other opportunities that you’re just not aware of that could help you increase your financial aid package and make college more affordable. 

Great. Thanks, Megan, for joining us today. 

Yeah, no problem.

This interview has been edited for clarity.