Special Financial or Unusual Circumstance Requests
Carnegie Mellon students have the right to request changes to their financial aid based on Special Financial Circumstances (i.e., recent unemployment, changes to income, assets) or based on Unusual Circumstances that may qualify a student for a change in dependency status. The Student Financial Aid Office may exercise its professional judgment by modifying data used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI), making changes to cost of attendance factors, or changing a student’s dependency status from a dependent student to an independent student based on certain legal definitions and documentation. Students should note that any approved requests may impact access to Federal Pell Grants and/or other types of financial aid.
Enrolled students should be aware student account interest is applied at the end of August on any remaining balance due to Carnegie Mellon. We encourage students to submit their request, along with all required supporting documentation, by early August. While this is not a deadline, and requests submitted later will still be considered, this will help avoid student account interest accumulating.
Questions?
Enrolled students may direct any questions to The HUB. Prospective students not yet enrolled may direct questions to the Office of Admission (after June 1, newly admitted students may contact The HUB).
Special Financial Circumstances Overview
Examples of Special Financial Circumstances may include:
- Recent unemployment of a family member or an independent student;
- A student or family member who is a dislocated worker (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act);
- Tuition expenses at an elementary school or secondary school for dependents with disabilities or special needs;
- Medical, dental, or nursing home expenses not covered by insurance; or
- Unusually high childcare or dependent care costs.
- Cost of attendance adjustments for education-related expenses (i.e., housing, health insurance, equipment). You may contact your HUB liaison directly to request these adjustments.
- Sibling(s) enrolled in college will be considered on a case-by-case basis with priority given to returning Carnegie Mellon students. To submit this request, please complete the Special Financial Circumstances Form below by selecting 'Other' from the Type of Expense dropdown and entering the cost of the other institution in the 'Amount' box. In addition to this form, you'll submit the sibling's aid offer from their institution and Carnegie Mellon's Verification of Household Information form.
Important Note: Federal regulations require that federal verification must be completed for those selected for verification by a federal processor or Carnegie Mellon before a request for special circumstances can be reviewed. Documents request as part of federal verification should be submitted along with any other supporting documentation.
How to Make a Request
Students may make a request for Special Financial Circumstances by submitting the required form, along with supporting documentation, to The HUB for review by the Student Financial Aid Office. Housing, health insurance and cost of attendance increases may be submitted directly to your HUB liaison.
Special Financial Circumstances Request Form
This link will prompt you to log into My Student Aid
Supporting Documentation
Additional documentation may be requested to support the student's request for special circumstances, and such requests, in many cases, require verification by a third party. Documents can be submitted by emailing thehub@andrew.nbzhiai.com or by reaching out directly to your HUB liaison.
Document Reference Guide:
Special Circumstance |
Documentation Needed |
| Significantly reduced income in the tax year used as the basis for filing the FAFSA |
Signed Tax Return with supporting tax schedules and W-2’s. Instead of a Tax Return with supporting tax schedules, you may also submit an IRS Tax Transcript and W-2’s. |
| Divorce of the student or parent | Divorce decree |
| Death of a parent | Death certificate |
| Total & permanent disability of the parent |
Verification from Veterans Affairs, Supplemental Security Income, or family physician |
| Recent unemployment of family member/student OR a student/family member who is a dislocated worker | A letter from an employer or notice of unemployment benefits or relocation notice |
| Other changes to income, employment or size of a family since filing FAFSA |
Will vary case-by-base. Please submit documentation that supports your situation. |
| Additional Education-Related Expense Situations |
Receipts or documentation that show proof of payment for the expense. Expenses must be education-related. |
Decision & Notification
Decisions are determined by the Student Financial Aid Office. Generally, students need to submit their initial financial aid materials and any requested documents to receive an initial financial aid offer before submitting the request forms. Students are typically contacted via email within two to three weeks of submitting their request.
It is important to note that while all Special Financial Circumstances are reviewed, not all requests result in a change to a student’s financial aid offer. The following instances generally have no or minimal impact on financial aid eligibility:
- An existing SAI that is low or below zero
- Unallowable additional expenses (living expenses due to lifestyle choices, animal care/vet bills, employment-related expenses, credit card bills, home mortgages, school loan payments, car payments, etc.)
Unusual Circumstances Overview
For those selected for federal verification by a federal processor or Carnegie Mellon, we may review and potentially change your dependency status without first completing federal verification requirements; however, verification may still need to be completed under independent student requirements.
The Student Financial Aid Office will presume any student who received a dependency override in a preceding award year to be independent for each subsequent award year while at Carnegie Mellon unless the student informs the institution that their circumstances have changed or the institution has conflicting information about the student's independence.
Examples of Unusual Circumstances related to dependency status include:
- Students in foster care or students who are not in the custody of a parent or guardian and are homeless or at risk of homelessness. If you have questions, please contact Director of Financial Aid Matt Metz or Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid Elaine Taillon.
- Students who are at risk related to human trafficking, abusive family environment, legally granted refuge or asylum status, parental abandonment or estrangement, or student or parent incarceration.
The following situations alone do not qualify as unusual circumstances to allow a change of dependency status:
- Parent(s) refusing to contribute to the student's education*
- Parent(s) are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification*
- Parent(s) not claiming students as dependent for income tax purposes
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
- Student does not live with their parent(s)
*Although these students are not eligible for a change in dependency status, they may be able to receive dependent level unsubsidized direct loans. A signed statement from the parent(s) that they do not and will not provide any financial support, or third-party documentation from a reliable source such as a teacher, counselor, cleric, or court is required. A signed statement from the student is not sufficient.
How to Make a Request
Students may make a request for Unusual Circumstances by submitting the required form, along with supporting documentation, to The HUB for review by the Student Financial Aid Office.
Unusual Circumstances Request Form
This link will prompt you to log into My Student Aid
Supporting Documentation
Additional documentation may be requested to support the student's request for unusual circumstances, and such requests, in many cases, require verification by a third party. Documents can be submitted by emailing thehub@andrew.nbzhiai.com or by reaching out directly to your HUB liaison.
Generally, acceptable documentation can be a signed letter or an official document, such as a court order, and must support the student's reason for requesting a dependency status change from a dependent to an independent student. In almost all cases, the documentation must originate from a third party with knowledge of the student's unusual circumstances, such as a:
- teacher,
- counselor,
- medical authority,
- member of the clergy,
- prison administrator, or
- government agency or court.
Decision & Notification
Decisions are determined by the Student Financial Aid Office. Generally, students need to submit their initial financial aid materials and any requested documents to receive an initial financial aid offer before submitting the request form. Students are typically contacted via email within two to three weeks of submitting their request.