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Special and Unusual Circumstances

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Special Circumstances and Professional Judgement

Eligibility for financial aid is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which currently uses financial information from two years prior to estimate a household’s current circumstances. The Office Financial Aid Office recognizes that households can experience changes in income or other finances that are not reflected in their information from two years prior.

When these situations occur, it is possible to re-evaluate a student’s aid eligibility based on their current circumstances through the Professional Judgement (PJ) process. There must be a significant change to the household finances to be considered for a Special Circumstance or Professional Judgement.

Changes that are not applicable:

  • Job loss due to personal choice
  • Standard of living expenses (utilities, car payments)
  • Mortgage Payments
  • Credit Card/other personal debt
  • Bankruptcy
  • Vacation expenses
  • All other discretionary expenses

Changes that are applicable:

  • Involuntary job loss or change in employment
  • Child support reduction/change
  • Divorce/separation of parents/spouse
  • Death of parent(s) or spouse
  • Excessive medical or dental expenses (must exceed 11% of household’s Adjusted Gross Income)
  • One-time taxable income (IRA distribution, pension distribution, etc.)
  • Costs associate with a student’s disability
  • Unusually high childcare expenses for a dependent child of student

Required Documentation

Documentation List
Reason for Professional
Judgement Request 		Documents Required
Loss or Change of Employment and/or Income
  • Statement on letterhead indicating the last date of employment
  • Copy of the last paycheck including any vacation pay, severance, bonuses, or
    tips received
  • Documentation of the gross income of the person whose employment status
    changed
  • Members of the military must submit a copy of the DD214 and a LES showing
    taxable and untaxed income
  • Documentation of any type of income being received including workman’s
    compensation, payments from 401(k) or 403(b) plans, the financial contribution
    made by individuals outside of the household
Change in student marital status
  • Student’s marriage certificate
  • Student’s and spouse’s most recent tax returns
Death of a Parent or Spouse
  • Death certificate of the deceased individual
  • Copy of final paycheck
  • Documentation of any death benefits received
Disability
  • Documentation of disability diagnosis
  • Documentation of costs related to the student’s disability ex. Personal assistance, transportation, equipment, or supplies (These costs cannot be provided by other agencies to be considered for a Professional Judgement.)
Reduction in Child Support
  • Documentation of the total amount of child support expected for each child
Unusual Medical/Dental
Expenses
  • Documentation of paid out- of- pocket medical expenses
  • Copy of Schedule A (tax form)
Elementary/Secondary
Tuition Expenses
  • Proof of tuition expenses paid for the current academic year on school letterhead
Dependent Care Expenses
  • Proof of dependent care expenses paid for the current academic year on letterhead

How to apply for a Professional Judgment due to special circumstances

If you meet one of the significant changes outlined in the section above and believe you may qualify for a professional judgment, please contact your assigned success coach or an enrollment specialist.

Professional judgements due to special circumstances decisions are made for the academic year (fall, spring, summer) and are on a case-by case basis. Completing a professional judgment does not guarantee you will receive additional aid. Students who currently have a zero (0) EFC do not qualify for a professional judgment.

Unusual Circumstances or Dependency Override

Most students age 23 and younger are considered financially “dependent” on their parents when completing the FAFSA and must include their parents’ income information. In some circumstances, the financial aid office can change a student’s FAFSA status from dependent to independent in situations where providing parental information may be difficult for the student.

The following circumstances would not be considered for a dependency override:

  • Parents refuse to contribute financially to the student’s education
  • Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification
  • Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
  • Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
  • Students living away from home

The following are examples of circumstances that may considered for a dependency override:

  • An abusive family environment(s)
  • Abandonment and/or estrangement by parent(s)
  • Incarceration or institutionalization of parent(s)
  • Parent(s) cannot be located
  • Death of parent(s)
  • Or any combination of the unusual circumstances above

Required Documentation

Documentation List
Reason for Dependency
Override Request		 Documents Required
Abusive Family Environment
  • Dependency Override Form
  • Student’s personal statement
  • At least two (2) of the following documents:
    • A letter on official letterhead, explaining the student’s situation in detail from a minister, social worker, high school guidance counselor, teacher, doctor, or other professional.
    • Police reports
    • Court orders
    • Documentation from social service agency
  • Documentation of your income
Abandonment and/or
estrangement by parent(s)
  • Dependency Override Form
  • Student’s personal statement
  • At least two (2) of the following documents:
    • A letter on official letterhead, explaining the student’s situation in detail from a minister, social worker, high school guidance counselor, teacher, doctor, or other professional.
    • Police reports
    • Court orders
    • Documentation from social service agency
  • Documentation of your income
Incarceration or
institutionalization of
parent(s)
  • Dependency Override Form
  • Student’s personal statement
  • At least two (2) of the following documents:
    • A letter on official letterhead, explaining the student’s situation in detail from a minister, social worker, high school guidance counselor, teacher, doctor, or other professional.
    • Booking or incarnation information
    • Police reports
    • Court orders
  • Documentation of your income
Parent(s) cannot be located
  • Dependency Override Form
  • Student’s personal statement
  • At least two (2) of the following documents:
    • A letter on official letterhead, explaining the student’s situation in detail from a minister, social worker, high school guidance counselor, teacher, doctor, or other professional.
    • Police reports
    • Court orders
    • Documentation from social service agency
  • Documentation of your income
Death of parent(s)
  • Dependency Override Form
  • Student’s personal statement
  • At least two (2) of the following documents:
    • A letter on official letterhead, explaining the student’s situation in detail from a minister, social worker, high school guidance counselor, teacher, doctor, or other professional.
    • Copy of original death certificate for the deceased custodial parent
  • Documentation of your income

How to request a Dependency Override due to unusual circumstances

If you meet one of the examples listed above and believe you may qualify for a dependency override, please contact your assigned success coach or an enrollment specialist.

Subsequent Aid Years

Beginning with the 2023-24 award year, any student who was approved for a dependency override and made independent for financial aid due to unusual circumstances will continue to be independent for each subsequent award year at Cleveland State Community College unless the student informs us that their circumstances have changed, or we have conflicting information about the student’s independence. Students must still submit their FAFSA each year, but should not need to take additional action to be considered an independent student each year.

Unaccompanied or Homeless Youth

There are three different questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) regarding being an unaccompanied homeless youth. If you indicated that you are either an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or are an unaccompanied youth providing for your own living expenses who is at risk of being homeless, you must complete the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Verification worksheet which should be also be signed by an authorized agent from one of the following entities:

  • Your high school or school district homeless liaison
  • A director of a homeless shelter or transitional housing program funded by HUD
  • A director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program.

The definition of unaccompanied homeless youth is:

“Unaccompanied” means you are not living in the physical custody of your parent or guardian.

“Homeless” means lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing. You may be homeless if you are living in shelters, parks, motels or cars, or temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go.

“Youth” means you are 23 years of age or younger or you are still enrolled in high school as of the day you signed your FAFSA.

If you did not indicate either of these situations on the FAFSA but believe you meet the requirements to be considered an unaccompanied youth at risk of homeless based on the definitions below, then you can contact your success coach or enrollment specialist. If the Financial Aid Office requires additional information, we may contact you or those you indicate on the form or in supporting documentation to verify your circumstances.

Subsequent Aid Years

Beginning with the 2023-24 award year, any student who has provided the necessary documentation to support that they are an unaccompanied homeless youth and made independent for financial aid will continue to be independent for each subsequent award year at Cleveland State Community College unless the student informs us that their circumstances have changed, or we have conflicting information about the student’s independence. Students must still submit their FAFSA each year, but should not need to take additional action to be considered an independent student each year.

Acceptable Documentation for Unaccompanied or Homeless Youth

  • Homeless liaison for local educational agency
    • CSCC Homeless Liaison
    • Other local education agency homeless liaison
  • Director/designee at one of the following:
    • Emergency/transitional shelter
    • Street outreach program
    • Homeless youth drop-in center
    • Other program serving homeless individuals
    • Program supported by Federal TRIO or GEAR-UP Grant
  • Financial Aid Administrator
    • From different school that documented student circumstance for same/prior award year
    • CSCC Financial Aid Administrator