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Special Circumstances

Eastern Connecticut State University’s objective is to offer students the best financial aid assistance possible to support students in their academic pursuits. Eastern recognizes that every family’s financial situation is unique, and that circumstances may change after filing the FAFSA. Therefore, if you think the information submitted on your FAFSA no longer accurately represents your family’s current financial situation, please let us know.  Some conditions that may constitute an appeal include:

  • Loss of income due to involuntary loss of employment
  • Divorce or separation 
  • Death of a parent or spouse
  • High medical or dental costs not covered by insurance

If you have experienced one of the above circumstances, please complete & sign the Special Circumstances Appeall form below, and submit the Appeal to financialaid@easternct.edu to begin processing.

Federal regulations and institutional policies require that special conditions or circumstances fall within certain parameters and that they are accompanied with quality supporting documentation.

How to Submit a Request for Additional Financial Assistance Appeal

  • Complete and sign the Special Circumstances Appeal form.

    If you prefer to write your appeal in a separate file and attach it to your submission, that is acceptable. We cannot accept digitally "shared" Google Docs or OneDrive documents, so be sure to save the document to your computer and upload it as a separate file so we may view it.

    Having trouble with the digital signature? Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to digitally sign the Appeal form.

    During Step 1, our Financial Aid Counselors will determine if your circumstance is eligible to move forward in the Special Circumstance Process.  If you are eligible, your Financial Aid Counselor will contact you for additional documentation that will be needed to complete 23-24 FAFSA Verification & the Special Circumstance re-evaluation.

  • Your Financial Aid Counselor will let you know what documentation will be required to complete FAFSA Verification for your 23-24 FAFSA, as well as what is needed from you to re-evaluate your financial aid.

    All students requesting a Special Circumstances Appeal are subject to the verification process. If you were not previously contacted by Inceptia, Eastern’s partner in completing verification, a separate request for verification documents will be sent to the student once the Appeal has been received by the Financial Aid office. Documents needed for verification may include, but are not limited to: current tax returns and/or official IRS transcripts, W2 forms, verification worksheets, etc.

    PLEASE NOTE: The verification process, which in some cases may be required before an appeal is able be processed, can result in an initial decrease/increase to a student’s originally estimated aid offer. The appeal process may not restore any reduced aid or offer additional aid.

    See the list below for some examples of documentation you may need to provide in support of your Appeal.

  • Once the signed Appeal has been received with all required documentation, and verification has been completed, the Office of Financial Aid will review your appeal.

    All notifications and communication regarding your Appeal will be sent to your Eastern email, so be sure to activate your Eastern email account and check it frequently for updates. 

Examples of Documents That May Be Requested by Your Financial Aid Counselor

    • Last paystub
    • Unemployment benefits statement & benefits amount
    • Layoff paperwork

    NOTE: The Financial Aid Office may contact you for additional documentation on top of what is listed above. Please check your Eastern email frequently for requests & updates.

    • Last paystub
    • Unemployment benefits
    • Layoff paperwork

    NOTE: The Financial Aid Office may contact you for additional documentation on top of what is listed above. Please check your Eastern email frequently for requests & updates.

    • Last paystub
    • Proof of hours reduction

    NOTE: The Financial Aid Office may contact you for additional documentation on top of what is listed above. Please check your Eastern email frequently for requests & updates.

    • Last paystub
    • Proof of hours reduction

    NOTE: The Financial Aid Office may contact you for additional documentation on top of what is listed above. Please check your Eastern email frequently for requests & updates.

    • Medical or dental bills

     NOTE: The Financial Aid Office may contact you for additional documentation on top of what is listed above. Please check your Eastern email frequently for requests & updates.

    • Divorce paperwork
    • Death Certificate

    NOTE: The Financial Aid Office may contact you for additional documentation on top of what is listed above. Please check your Eastern email frequently for requests & updates.