Aid Eligibility Recalculation

In particular, the following circumstances DO NOT merit a dependency override, either alone or in combination:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education;

• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the application or for verification;
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes;

• Student does not live with parents

• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency

Note that all of these circumstances are largely discretionary in nature. A student cannot become independent just because the parents are unwilling to help pay for the student's college education.

Although these circumstances are not sufficient for a dependency override, they do not preclude it. Sometimes there are additional circumstances that occur in conjunction with these circumstances that do merit a dependency override.

Students will be asked to complete an Appeal for Independent Status and to submit documentation supporting their claim of unusual circumstance. This documentation will include, but may not be limited to:

• A letter from the student describing his/her circumstance in detail, along with a FAFSA form completed with student information only.
• Letters from two adults serving the student in professional capacities (i.e., pastor, teacher, counselor), who are aware of the student's situation. Copies of appropriate court documentation are also acceptable to support your petition.
• Signed copy of most recently filed Federal Tax Return, if applicable, showing the student filed taxes independently.
• Other documentation of how the student has provided for his/her own basic needs (shelter, food, clothing, transportation, medical care, etc.).

Questions concerning the Dependency Override process should be emailed to Katie Carpenter in the Department of Student Financial Assistance: katie.carpenter@wku.edu. 

Income/financial hardship does not constitute an unusual circumstance, and parent(s') inability or unwillingness to pay is not a reason to apply for a dependency override (as stated in DCL GEN-93-11, May 1993). The request for dependency override falls under regulations dealing with professional judgment [Higher Education Act, sec. 479A(a)] and must be reviewed by a committee to ensure regulatory compliance. Therefore, the committee's decision is final and cannot be appealed.

 

Situations that may qualify for a review:

• Job loss
• Loss of benefits (e.g. child support or social security)
• Rollover or one-time early withdrawal of retirement funds (IRA, 401K, pension)
• Private school tuition
• Unusually high medical/dental expenses paid out-of-pocket
• Change in marital status
• Death of a family member whose income is listed on the FAFSA     

The situations listed below, while not inclusive, cannot be considered for reevaluation:

• Mortgage payments
• Utility payments
• Car payments
• Credit card debt
• Vacation expenses
• Tithing expenses

If you have a FAFSA on file with WKU, you may request a reevaluation by contacting one of our financial aid counselors to discuss your situation. Completion of a Special Circumstances Form does not guarantee that you will be approved or become eligible for additional aid. Please keep in mind that it may take several weeks to complete the reevaluation process. In the meantime, you will be responsible for payments due to the university while the form is being processed.

Homelessness is defined on the FAFSA as listed below:

• Unaccompanied means you're 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're living in shelters, parks, motels, hotels, public spaces, camping grounds, cars, or abandoned buildings, or if you're temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go. Also, if you're living in any of these situations and fleeing an abusive parent, you may be considered homeless even if your parent would otherwise provide a place to live.
• At risk of being homeless-when a student's housing may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted or has been asked to leave their current residence and has been unable to find fixed, regular, and adequate housing.

Agencies that can make a homeless and unaccompanied youth determination

The following agencies are authorized to make homeless designations:

• Your high school or district homeless liaison or designee
• The director or designee of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or another program serving those experiencing homelessness.
• The director or designee of a project supported by a federal TRIO program or a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant.
• A financial aid administrator at another institution (if you are transferring to WKU)

 

If you do not have an official determination from one of these entities, you will need to email us at fa.help@wku.edu to request a review of your circumstances.