Special Circumstances
Financial aid awards are based on the results of the application which has information from tax year 2022 (for Fall 2024-Spring 2025). However, your 2022 tax year information may not accurately represent your current financial situation
If you experience a special circumstance, you have an opportunity to file for a Review of Special Circumstances where you request the Financial Aid Office to look at either your 2023 taxes or 2024 income for aid during Fall 2024-Spring 2025.
Some examples of special circumstances include:
- Loss of income (wages, benefits, etc.) due to unemployment
- Extensive medical bills not covered by insurance
- Death of a parent
- Divorce or separation
- Loss due to recent natural disasters (e.g., earthquake, flood, fire) not covered by insurance
Deadlines
- Fall only enrollment: December 6, 2024
- Academic year or Spring 2025 enrollment only: March 21, 2025
Review of Income
- 2023 Income Year form available: July 24,2024
- 2024 Income Year form available: September 12, 2024
Keep the following in mind:
- You can only submit this request once per academic year. You must decide if you would
like to have your 2023 or 2024 income reviewed.
Appeals for extraordinary expenses are typically reviewed within 4-6 weeks after submission.
This review does not guarantee that any additional funds will be available. Revised awards are based upon any available funding and initial FAFSA submission date.
You must have a financial aid award already posted to your MySJSU.
Student must be enrolled at least half-time during the semester that the review is completed in order for any revised aid to be disbursed.
Review of special circumstances does not extend the placement of a fee deferral or housing extension.
Contact the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office to discuss the changes in your financial situation and to request a Review of Special Circumstances.
We know that there are many circumstances that may impact a family's ability to contribute to a student's education, and we will work with you to understand your options and determine if any additional aid may be available based on your individual circumstances. Unfortunately, not all circumstances will be eligible for consideration, and not all appeals will result in additional financial assistance.
Review of Extraordinary Expenses
The Cost of Attendance includes average amounts for standard educational expenses incurred by students who attend SJSU during the academic year. These averages are provided to us by the California Student Aid Commission.
Families do have an opportunity to request an increase in their Cost of Attendance for one of the following reasons:
- Additional course-related expenses
- Child care expenses
- Medical/dental expenses not covered by insurance
- Automobile expenses (repair, insurance, maintenance)
If a budget increase is approved, it is unlikely that it will be covered by any additional grant funding. You would need to apply for the additional loan program, typically: Direct Parent PLUS loans, Direct GRAD PLUS loans, or alternative student loan funding.
There is a maximum increase of $10,000 per academic year that can be considered.
Contact the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office to discuss any additional expenses you may have incurred to see if they justify a review of extraordinary expenses. Receipts will need to be provided.
