Office of Financial Aid

An unusual circumstance appeal allows students who face exceptional or atypical situations to request a review for eligibility or status changes. This type of appeal is designed to address cases where standard criteria may not apply due to unique challenges or hardships.

The FAFSA Simplification Act includes additional unusual circumstances, such as when a student cannot contact a parent or if such contact presents a risk to the student.

Examples of Unusual Circumstances Include:

• Human trafficking, as outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.)
• Legally granted refugee or asylum status
• Parental abandonment or estrangement
• Student or parental incarceration

Examples of Situations That Do Not Qualify as Unusual Circumstances Include:

• Parents' refusal to contribute to the student’s education.
• Parents' refusal to provide information for the FAFSA or verification.
• Parents' decision not to claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
• Student’s demonstration of complete self-sufficiency

Initial Requests

For first-time requests for an Unusual Circumstance – Dependency Override, please provide the following:

1. Submit Your FAFSA: Complete and submit your FAFSA for the relevant aid year online at studentaid.gov.
2. Typed Letter: Provide a typed letter detailing the unusual circumstances and explaining your relationship with your parents.
3. Professional Statements: Include two statements from professionals (such as a teacher, counselor, clergy member, or social worker) who are familiar with your situation. These statements should verify the special circumstances and include the professionals' contact details and letterhead. If you are classified as a McKinney-Vento student, please provide that letter instead of the statements.

To submit a Dependency Appeal, log in to your Uconnect account and access Verify My FAFSA. To view a step-by-step guide, click here.

Students are notified of their appeal decision via their Dusty email address.

Renewal Requests

If you were granted a Dependency Override at TAMIU for the previous year, you will be automatically approved for the current year, provided your circumstances have not changed. Ensure you have a FAFSA on file for the relevant year. Processing may take several weeks, and you will receive a notification via your TAMIU email account once your dependency override has been processed.

If you received a Dependency Override at a different institution, you must submit a new request for the relevant aid year.