The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) is designed to estimate a family's ability to pay for college. Many students and/or families, however, have circumstances that could affect their ability and/or their eligibility. The FAFSA^® gives financial aid administrators discretion to consider these circumstances when calculating a student's financial aid eligibility through the Dependency Appeal and Professional Judgment processes.

Any student in one of these situations should follow these steps to request a recalculation of financial aid:

1. Contact your Financial Aid specialist to determine whether your situation qualifies for an adjustment.
2. If it does, request the appropriate form from your Financial Aid specialist.
3. Submit your request as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days before last date of attendance for the academic year at Wake Tech.

Dependency Appeal for unusual circumstances

• Loss of custodial parent, no communication with living parent – The student's custodial parent has died, and although the other natural parent is still living, the student has not had contact with nor received any financial support from the living parent for some time.
• Loss of communication with parents residing in other areas of the world – The student is a political refugee or eligible non-citizen whose parents do not reside in the United States and cannot be contacted by normal communications, such as mail, phone or email.
• Dangerous home environment – The student faces an abusive home environment (physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse).
• Abandonment – The student was abandoned at an early age and has no ongoing contact with either the biological or adoptive parents.

Professional Judgment for special circumstances

• Loss of employment or reduction of employment – The student, spouse or parent(s) is unemployed and has been out of work for at least 10 consecutive weeks or is still employed but will have significantly reduced earnings.
• Loss of untaxed income or benefit – The student, spouse or parent(s) is no longer receiving some type of untaxed income or benefit (Social Security, child support, etc.).
• Divorce or separation – Since filing the FAFSA^®, the student or the student's parent has become divorced or separated.
• Death of a student's parent or spouse.
• Extreme out-of-pocket medical expenses – The student, spouse or parent(s) paid high out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance.