Special Circumstances

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Wentworth awards the best possible financial aid package based upon the information provided to our office and limited funding available. We make every effort to help all students who qualify. If your family has experienced a change in your financial situation since filing the FAFSA, please be sure to speak with the Office of Student Financial Services to determine if the changes will impact the student's financial aid eligibility.

A Special Circumstances review may be requested when there has been a significant change in your family’s financial situation as a result of an unusual situation. Only tax line items, financial items, or household specifics that are reported on your FAFSA are able to be considered in these adjustments. Requesting an appeal does not guarantee an adjustment can be made to the financial aid offer.

We cannot review an appeal without a completed FAFSA for the academic year you are appealing for. Please note that if you have a 0 or negative Student Aid Index (SAI) number from your FAFSA you are already receiving the maximum amount of aid possible and this appeal will not result in additional aid. If you were selected for federal verification, verification must be completed before we can process your appeal.

What Are Considered Special Circumstances

Situations that may be considered include, but are not limited to:

  • Loss or significant reduction of employment or income
  • Loss of taxable/untaxed income (such as child support, alimony or worker’s compensation)
  • Divorce or separation after filing the FAFSA. Please refer to the Who is My Parent guidelines when determining which parent's information must be reported on the FAFSA.
  • Death of a parent, stepparent, or spouse listed on your FAFSA.
  • One-time income events reported on the FAFSA (such as pension or IRA distribution, inheritance, or bonus)
  • Significant paid out-of-pocket medical or dental expenses (exceeding 11% of the adjusted gross income)
  • Concurrent college expenses for siblings

Situations That Are Not Considered Special Circumstances

The following circumstances cannot be considered for a review:

  • Parent or student unwillingness to borrow loans
  • Consumer debt (credit cards, car loans, etc.)
  • Educational debt for parents or other family members
  • Parent refusal to contribute toward education
  • Lifestyle expenses (weddings, travel, sports, enrichment activities, etc.)

How the Review Process Works

Students or families start the review process by notifying the Student Financial Services Office. Staff may request an emailed explanation of the circumstances, phone call, or a meeting with the student to better understand their specific situation.

From there, staff will create a Special Circumstance form and document requests on Student Forms for the student to upload all required documentation. Please complete all sections of the Special Circumstance form as completely and accurately as possible. Your file cannot be reviewed until all documentation is submitted.

In some cases when new information arises from reviewing submitted materials, additional documentation may be requested. Students will be notified via their Wentworth email if this occurs.

The reviews take 2-4 weeks to be fully completed. Students and families are responsible to meet any financial obligations and deadlines using their existing offer while their appeal is being processed.

To begin the process, contact Student Financial Services. Student's can view and contact their Student Financial Services Counselor through EAB Navigate on MyWentworth.

Unusual Circumstances - Dependency Override

Federal student aid rules determine whether you are considered a dependent or independent student based on your answers to the FAFSA questions. Most undergraduate students under age 24 are considered dependent and must provide parent information on the FAFSA.

Being considered dependent does not mean your parent(s) are required to pay for your education. It simply means federal regulations require parent information to determine eligibility for federal student aid.

When Parent Information Cannot Be Provided

In certain serious situations, a student may be unable to provide parent information due to documented family circumstances. All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This is called an Unusual Circumstance or Dependency Override.

Examples may include, but are not limited to:

  • Parental abandonment
  • Abuse or unsafe family conditions
  • Human trafficking
  • Parental incarceration or institutionalization
  • Documented Homelessness
  • Other situations where contacting a parent would pose risk

Situations That Do Not Qualify

The following situations alone do not qualify for a dependency override:

  • Parents refusing to contribute financially or pay for college
  • Parents refusing to complete the FAFSA
  • Living independently by choice
  • Parents not claiming you on their tax return

How to request a review for unusual circumstances:

Contact the Office of Student Financial Services with an email explaining your situation. Staff may request a meeting to fully explain the process and better understand your specific situation. Staff will then make documentation requests on Student Forms for your appeal.

At minimum, you will be asked to provide:

  • A detailed written statement explaining your situation, your current housing, and current means of support.

  • A letter of documentation from a third party (such as a counselor, social worker, clergy member, attorney, or other professional) who has direct knowledge of your circumstances on letterhead, including their title and contact information.

    In some cases we will request copies of the student's federal income taxes and W-2s or wage statements for the current and preceding year in order to document your financial situation.

Other additional documentation may be requested throughout the appeal process.

Wentworth’s Office of Student Financial Services will respond to your university email within 5 business days. The full review can take 2-4 weeks to fully process from when all documentation is submitted. Students are responsible for meeting payment deadlines while their review is processing.