Special Circumstance Appeal

Chattahoochee Technical College recognizes that changes may be experienced in the financial situation of a household. While the FAFSA determines financial aid eligibility based on tax and income data from two years prior, the SCA process exists to re-evaluate a student’s aid based on certain significant financial changes.

Financial Aid Administrators are authorized to use professional judgment on a case-by-case basis for students with special circumstances that affect a family’s ability to pay for college education that are not reflected in the information provided on the FAFSA. Manual adjustments can be made to students’/parents’ yearly income based on current financial status as opposed to financial information on the FAFSA from two years prior. In many cases, professional judgment adjustments made to the FAFSA do not result in significant changes to the Student Aid Index (SAI). Special Circumstance Appeals are made based on a change of income that is beyond your control.

Examples of unusual circumstances that warrant an appeal may include the following:

• Separation or Divorce
• Loss or reduction of employment (those due to cause or personal choice are not applicable)
• Death of parent or spouse
• Child Support change

Complete and submit the Special Circumstance Appeal form, along with all required supporting documents to the FA Special Circumstance Appeal Submission Form. 

If ALL supporting documentation is not submitted, this could result in denial of your appeal. All pertinent information is needed so that full consideration can be given to your appeal. Your aid will remain the same until your appeal has been approved. Once a decision has been made, you will be contacted through student email. All financial documents used for the current year’s FAFSA and the financial documents for the change in income year will be needed.