Special Circumstances and Appeals

Special circumstances refer to any changes in your finances, enrollment plans, or living situation that may affect your cost of attendance or expected contribution. Students may submit information about these circumstances and/or submit an appeal to have their financial aid eligibility re-evaluated.

Once a student’s initial financial aid summary is available, they may submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office explaining what has changed and providing the required supporting documentation. USC reviews each appeal individually and in accordance with applicable policies. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee an adjustment or additional financial aid. Each appeal is reviewed once, and decisions are final. 

Appeal Funding

If your appeal is approved, you may be awarded supplemental grant funding in consideration of your circumstances. This funding does not change your original USC-determined financial need and may not meet the full amount of that need or cover the entire cost of attendance.

Re-evaluation of your financial aid eligibility is subject to federal, state and university
regulations, and is based on:

• Availability of funds;
• Timeliness of your original application for financial aid; and
• Timeliness of your appeal and the nature of the change in circumstances.

Notification: We will notify you of our decision or if we require additional information. All appeal decisions are final. Once an appeal has been reviewed and a decision has been made, the Financial Aid Office will not reconsider the same appeal or accept repeated requests based on the same circumstances.

Below are examples of circumstances that may warrant reconsideration. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have any questions regarding this process.

• Significant Involuntary Loss of Income. 

• Death of a Parent, Guardian, or Spouse. 

• Divorce or Separation AFTER completing the FAFSA. 

• Extraordinary medical expenses paid out of pocket, not reimbursed by insurance and exceeding 11 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI).

Strict guidelines set by both the federal government and the university govern dependency status. Almost all undergraduates are considered dependent for the purposes of receiving financial aid.

Undergraduates who meet certain conditions may be considered independent for the purposes of receiving federal and state aid (such as the Cal Grant, Federal Pell Grant, and Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans). For complete details, please review the application instructions for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Unusual Circumstances (Dependency Override) 

Federal guidelines recognize that some students cannot provide parent information on the FAFSA due to unusual circumstances, which are considered differently from special circumstances. Unusual circumstances do not involve a change in finances. Instead, they apply when a student is unable to contact a parent, or when contact would pose a risk to the student. 

Examples of unusual circumstances may include: 

• An abusive family environment. 

• Parental incarceration. 

• Human trafficking. 

• Refugee or asylee status with separation from parents. 

• Parental separation from the student that cannot be resolved. 

The following situations do not, on their own, qualify as unusual circumstances under federal guidelines: 

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education. 

• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification. 

• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for tax purposes. 

• The student lives apart from or is financially self-sufficient from their parents.

How to Request a Dependency Override 

Students who believe they have unusual circumstances may indicate this on the FAFSA and must contact the Financial Aid Office. The student will be asked to provide documentation, which may include a written statement from the student and a letter from a third party with first-hand knowledge of the situation, such as a licensed counselor, teacher, social worker, clergy member or court official. Each request is reviewed individually, and the decision rests with the Financial Aid Office.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth and Students at Risk of Homelessness 

Under federal guidelines, students who are unaccompanied and homeless, or who are self-supporting and at risk of homelessness, may be considered independent for financial aid purposes. These students are not required to provide parent information on the FAFSA. 

To qualify, the student’s living situation must be the result of circumstances beyond their control. Choosing to live independently, or leaving home for personal preference, does not on its own meet these definitions. 

• Unaccompanied means the student is not living in the physical custody of a parent or guardian due to circumstances beyond their control, such as an abusive home environment.  

• Homeless means the student lacks fixed, regular and adequate housing. This may include living in a shelter, motel, car or campground, or temporarily staying with others because they have nowhere else to go. 

• At risk of homelessness means the student’s housing may soon end and they do not have the resources to secure stable housing. This may include facing eviction, being asked to leave their current residence, or living in housing that is unsafe or temporary. 

How a Determination Is Made 

Students may indicate on the FAFSA that they are unaccompanied and homeless or at risk of homelessness. A determination may be provided by: 

• A McKinney-Vento school district homeless liaison. 

• The director (or designee) of an emergency or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

• The director (or designee) of a program funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. 

• The director (or designee) of a federal TRIO or GEAR UP program. 

• The USC Director of Financial Aid or designee. 

If the student cannot obtain a determination from one of the outside sources above, the Director of Financial Aid or a designee will review the student’s situation and make a determination.  

To be considered independent for USC need-based financial aid, you must meet one of the following conditions:

• You are at least 26 years of age by December 31 of the academic year you are admitted to USC.
• At the time you complete your FAFSA, and at the time of entry to USC, you are married.
• At the time you complete your FAFSA, and at the time of entry to USC, you have children who will receive more than half their support from you during the award year and the summer preceding the award year.
• You are an orphan or ward/dependent of the court.
• You are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces with at least one year of full-time, active-duty service for purposes other than training. 
• You have been determined to be an unaccompanied homeless youth, or a self-supporting student at risk of homelessness, under the federal definition. 

If you are required to submit parent information when you are admitted to USC, you will be required to submit parent information throughout your enrollment, regardless of your age, marital status, or other changes in circumstances (excluding the death of both parents).

You may submit an appeal through your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal if you feel that your situation would justify independent status. Students must submit a personal statement explaining their situation in detail and provide supporting documentation, such as court orders, police reports, letters from professionals (counselors, social workers, etc.), and/or other relevant records. 

Please note that submitting an appeal does not guarantee the granting of independent status.