Special Circumstances and Appeals

In certain cases, students may wish to submit information about their special financial circumstances, or 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 FAST account. Make sure your USC ID number appears on each supporting document. You 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.

Aid Adjustment

Changes to Federal Work-Study

Requesting to DECREASE Your Federal Work-Study Amount

In some cases, it may be possible to convert unused Federal Work-Study eligibility to Federal Direct PLUS or private loan eligibility.

If you would like to decrease your Federal Work-Study amount, submit a request through the Required Info and Forms page of your FAST account. Explain why you are unable to use the full amount of your Federal Work-Study eligibility and state the amount you want to convert to loans.

Requesting to INCREASE Your Federal Work-Study Amount

Submit your request through the Required Info and Forms page of your FAST account. Attach a memo from your employer supporting your request and include the additional amount you are requesting, your hourly rate, and the number of hours you work per week.

Reducing or Increasing Your Loans

Requesting to DECREASE Your Loan Amounts

If an approved loan amount is more than you wish to borrow, submit a request to decrease the amount. Please note you must submit your request for a cancelation or reduction to your federal loans within 120 days of the date of disbursement.

Requesting to INCREASE Your Loan Amounts

You may submit a request to increase your loan amounts, provided that your financial aid package does not already include the maximum annual amounts for Federal Direct Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized Loans. Please note you must submit your requests for semester loan increases before the end of the semester.

Budget Increase

The estimated cost of attendance (budget) used to determine your financial aid eligibility includes an amount for tuition and mandatory fees, based on your enrollment plans, as well as average amounts for standard educational expenses such as room and board. Also included are books, supplies, local transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. For more information about the standard student budget, please visit the Costs page.

If your actual school-related expenses are higher than your current budget, you may be eligible for a budget increase. Budget increases are considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to federal and university policy. If approved, budget increases are typically funded with PLUS loans or private financing.

Before submitting an appeal, we ask that you visit the Federal Student Aid Website to view your current total loan debt and consider how this additional loan may affect your repayment amounts after graduation. Prior indebtedness may be considered in determining whether a budget increase will be approved.

Types of budget increases that can be considered are listed below. To request a budget increase, submit your appeal with the supporting documentation indicated. To allow sufficient time for loan processing, appeals and all supporting documents should be submitted at least 30 days before the end of the term.

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 with the indicated required documentation. 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 receiving 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, 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, you must meet one of the following conditions:

You are at least 26 years of age by December 31 of the academic year you are admitted to USC.

At the time you complete your FAFSA, and at the time of entry to USC, you are married.

At the time you complete your FAFSA, and at the time of entry to USC, you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you during the award year and the summer preceding the award year.

You are an orphan or ward/dependent of the court.

You 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.

You are an unaccompanied minor or youth who is homeless, or who is self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.

If parent information is required when you are admitted to USC, you will be required to submit parent information throughout your enrollment at USC, regardless of your age, marital status, or other changes in circumstances (excluding the death of both parents).

If you feel, however, that your particular situation would justify independent status, you may submit an appeal. Appeals should explain your circumstances in detail and include supporting documentation.

Housing Change

Your Financial Aid Summary indicates the housing status you reported when you applied for financial aid:

Living with parents or relatives

Not living with parents or relatives

If your housing plans change, submit an updated Financial Aid Supplement.

Please note: Your eligibility for aid will be reduced if your housing plans change from "not living with parents or relatives" to "living with parents or relatives."

Your eligibility for aid may increase if your housing plans change from "living with parents or relatives" to "not living with parents or relatives." Please submit the following documentation to confirm this change in your housing plans:

Financial Aid Supplement (available through Required Info and Forms)

Copy of Lease Agreement

Canceled Rent Check

PLUS Loan Denial - Undergraduate Students

If your parent's application for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan is denied, they may reapply with an endorser, or you may be eligible to borrow additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds.

To appeal the decision or reapply for the loan with an endorser, your parent must contact the Federal Direct Loan Servicer for more information at studentaid.gov or (800) 557-7394.

If your parent will not pursue an appeal or reapply with an endorser, submit your request for an additional Unsubsidized Loan through the Required Info and Forms page of your FAST account. Once we receive notification from the Federal Direct Loan Servicer, we will determine your eligibility for an additional Direct Loan.

Merit Scholarships

The Financial Aid Office can consider appeals only from students who are awarded merit scholarships during the admission process.

Leaves of Absence

Taking a Leave of Absence
Notify the Financial Aid Office in writing about your leave of absence, or send the Financial Aid Office a copy of your Leave of Absence form. Specify the reason for the leave of absence as well as its expected duration.

Returning from a Leave of Absence
Your scholarship will be on hold for the approved duration of your leave of absence. To reinstate your scholarship, you must submit a written request before you return to USC.

NOTE: All USC Merit Scholarships are limited to a total of eight semesters of eligibility (10 semesters for students in the five-year architecture program).

Loss of Scholarship

Due to Under-Enrollment
You are required to complete a full-time course load each semester (generally 12 units) to remain in good standing for your scholarship. If you will be unable to complete a full-time course load during a semester, you must submit a written appeal that explains the circumstances preventing you from meeting your enrollment obligations.

Due to Academic Ineligibility
You are required to maintain good academic standing with the university (as defined by the Registrar's office) for your scholarship to be renewed. If you fail to remain in good academic standing, your scholarship eligibility will be revoked and cannot be restored to you even if you restore your academic eligibility.