Undergraduate Special Circumstances : University of Dayton, Ohio

Undergraduate Special Circumstances

As a Catholic, Marianist university, we understand that family situations may change due to unexpected circumstances. Because of our mission, we are committed to working with each family to evaluate your unique circumstances and provide support throughout the financial aid process. Special circumstances are anything that makes the information provided on the FAFSA form not reflective of the family's current financial situation.

At the University of Dayton, we offer our undergraduate FAFSA-filing families an opportunity to alert us to these special circumstances by way of our Special Circumstance Appeal Form (SCF). Our team is committed to assisting families that have been financially impacted by evaluating all resources for which you may be eligible.

Federal law allows the University of Dayton to use professional judgment to evaluate these circumstances and potentially update your FAFSA and change your federal aid eligibility. Undergraduate students will be considered for need-based aid from federal, state and/or institutional sources.

Completing this form does not guarantee an increase to your financial aid eligibility and additional documentation may be required in order to verify the circumstances provided in your appeal.

If you or your family have special circumstances and are requesting additional aid, please complete the appropriate form for the academic year below. Incoming students wishing to appeal aid due to loss of income/benefits in tax year 2025, can submit the form beginning in April of 2025. Returning/current students can submit the form in May of 2025.

2025-26 Special Circumstance Appeal Form

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies as a special circumstance?

Loss or reduction of working income
Loss of benefits such as child support, unemployment, alimony, social security/disability or worker’s compensation
One time lump sum income or pension/401K withdrawal
Unreimbursed family medical/dental expenses or funeral expenses
Extraordinary care expenses, such as elder care and adult children, not already included in the number in the household
Divorce of parent or independent student
Death of parent or independent student’s spouse

What does not qualify as a special circumstance?

Inability to pay the estimated or outstanding balance from current income or with educational loans
Number of students in college in the household
Standard living expenses (e.g., utilities, credit card debt, mortgage payments, car payments, lawn care, etc.) and/or consumer debt
Educational debt*
Expenses the family has been paying regularly for several years, such as healthcare insurance premiums and costs
Life style expenses (vacation or tithing expenses) or family events (weddings, retirement)
One-time increases in the family’s income (lottery winnings, inheritance)

* Please note: We will only consider parental educational debt that is currently in repayment, documented, and for students (parents and/or siblings) who are no longer enrolled

What is the processing timeline?

Please be sure to select the form for the appropriate aid year.

Submit all supporting documentation at the time of appeal and allow up to two weeks for review.

Please note that if your FAFSA was selected for Federal Verification, the required documents must be submitted before we can review this form.

A counselor will notify you via email should additional information and/or documentation be needed.

Once a decision has been reached, we will communicate the appeal decision regardless of outcome.

Special Circumstances Explained

We recognize that family financial situations may change due to unexpected circumstances, and we want to work with families to help identify additional resources that may be available.

Contact Flyer Student Services