Continuing Students
Special Circumstances
In some cases students may wish to submit information about their (family’s) special financial circumstances, or submit an appeal to request an adjustment to their financial aid eligibility.
How to Appeal
Submit your request, along with copies of appropriate supporting documentation as indicated, through the Required Info and Forms page of your student's account. Make sure your student's USC ID number appears on each supporting document. They will be contacted if additional documentation is required.
Appeal Funding
Re-evaluation of your financial aid eligibility is subject to federal, state and university regulations, and is based on:
Availability of funds;
Timeliness of your original application for financial aid; and
Timeliness of your appeal and the nature of the change in circumstances.
Notification
We will notify you of our decision or if we require additional information.
Change in Income or Resources
Families occasionally experience changes in income and/or resources (such as job loss, illness, etc.) during the application period and/or academic year. If this applies to you, notify the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.
Submit a request to the Financial Aid Office with the required documentation, as indicated. Examples of changes we can consider include, but are not limited to, the following:
Dependency Status
Strict guidelines set by both the federal government and the university govern dependency status. Almost all undergraduates are considered dependent for the purposes of awarding financial aid.
Undergraduates who meet certain conditions may be considered independent for the purposes of receiving federal and state aid (such as the Cal Grant, Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans). For complete details, please review the application instructions for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
To be considered independent for the purposes of receiving university financial aid, students must meet one of the following conditions:
They are at least 26 years of age by December 31 of the academic year they are admitted to USC.
At the time they complete their FAFSA, and at the time of entry to USC, they are married.
At the time they complete their FAFSA, and at the time of entry to USC, they have children who will receive more than half of their support from them during the award year and the summer preceding the award year.
They are an orphan or ward/dependent of the court.
They are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces with at least one year of full-time, active-duty service for purposes other than training.
They are an unaccompanied minor or youth who is experiencing homelessness, or who is self-supporting and at risk of becoming unhoused.
If parental information is required when students are admitted to USC, it will be required throughout their enrollment at USC, regardless of age, marital status, or other changes in circumstances (excluding the death of both parents).
If students feel, however, that their particular situation would justify independent status, they may submit an appeal. Appeals should explain their circumstances in detail and include supporting documentation.
