If you are not making satisfactory academic progress or have not turned in all necessary documents to verify you are eligible for federal aid, we cannot consider any type of income adjustment until we receive those documents first.
Special Condition Review FAQs
What is a Special Condition Review?
A Special Condition Review is a type of professional judgment that allows the Financial Aid office to take a “second look” at your FAFSA. Since the 2021-2022 FAFSA uses your 2019 tax information, and COVID-19 has changed the financial outlook for many, students may be allowed to use their 2020 taxes or 2021 financial information for a review of their FAFSA.
How do I know if a Special Condition Review is right for me?
If your (or your parents’, if you are a dependent student) income was significantly lower in 2020 or 2021 compared to 2019, it may be in your best interest to apply for a Special Condition Review. This reduction in income may be due to a job loss or reduction in hours, a one-time income in 2019, a divorce or separation (since completing the FAFSA), or the death of a spouse or parent, or other reasons.
The EFC on my FAFSA is already 0, so a Special Condition Review can’t make it any lower. Is there any way I can still get help?
If your EFC is already 0, we can’t lower it. You can check your EFC on your Student Aid Report (SAR), which you received after completing your FAFSA. If you do not have a copy, you can use your FSA ID to log in to view your SAR.
I am a dependent student and my income has decreased since 2019, but my parent’s income has increased. Can we use different years for each of us to get the best result?
No, when applying for a Special Condition Review, all financial information must be from the same year for the student and parent(s).
I didn’t get any grant funding because I have a Bachelor’s degree. Will a Special Condition Review help with that?
Unfortunately, a Special Condition Review cannot change Pell eligibility due to a Bachelor’s degree.
I was suspended from Financial Aid. Can a Special Condition Review change that for me?
No, once you are suspended, the only thing you can do is appeal the suspension. If your appeal is approved, you may then apply for a Special Condition Review. If your appeal is not approved, you must wait for your suspension to be lifted before applying.
Can a Special Condition Review affect my other funding?
Yes, if your financial aid is adjusted, it may affect outside funding, such as DVR, third-party funding, Promise, etc.
What do I have to do to get a Special Condition Review done on my financial aid?
To apply for a Special Condition Review, you will need to submit the following:
- A completed Special Condition Review application, which can be found here.
- A signed copy of your (and your parents’, if dependent) 2020 taxes and W2s, OR your (and your parents’, if dependent) most up-to-date pay stubs for 2021
- A signed copy of your (and your parents’, if dependent) 2019 taxes and W2s (or a 2019 tax return transcript) – the taxes can be waived if you and/or your parents used the IRS Data Retrieval tool when you filled out your FAFSA.
- A 2021-2022 Verification Worksheet (Dependent or Independent based on whether you needed parents’ tax information on the FAFSA), which can be found here: https://www.morainepark.edu/pay-for-college/financial-aid/financial-aid-forms/2021-2022-verification-forms/
- Supporting documentation for the special circumstance you’ve chosen in Section C of the application.
- A detailed letter (2 pages is usually enough) documenting the change in circumstances
I already turned in copies of my taxes and a Verification Worksheet. Do I need to turn them in again?
No, if we have copies of these documents on file, we will not need them again.
Can I turn my documents in as I get them?
No, your application and documents must come in together as one packet.
Is there a deadline to apply?
Yes, the deadline for completed applications is Nov 30th for the fall semester, April 15th for the spring semester, and July 6th for the summer semester.
Do I have to apply each semester?
No, you only need to apply once per academic year.
How do I turn in my application and documents?
There are two ways you can submit a Special Condition Review application and documents:
- Turn them in at Student Services on any campus
- Upload the information here
How long does it take for a Special Condition Review to process?
Once all required documents are received, it takes about 2-3 weeks to process. The biggest delay in processing is due to missing documents.
How will I know if my application has been approved?
You will receive an email to your student account, letting you know the progress and final outcome of your review.
If my application is rejected, is there an appeal process?
No, decisions about Special Condition Reviews are final.