Special Circumstance Appeal Process

Special Circumstance Appeal Proces

Dependent to Independent Appeal
Students may submit this appeal to be considered independent for financial aid purposes. This provides the student with an opportunity for their financial aid eligibility to be re-evaluated based on their financial information alone, excluding parental information.

Consideration requires a demonstration of extenuating circumstances which prevents the students from providing parent income information on their financial aid application. Extenuating circumstances may include an adverse environment which may compromise the student’s safety and/or well-being such as, but not limited to:
- Human trafficking, as described 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; or
- Student or parental incarceration.
Students who submit this appeal must also provide documentation and a third-party statement/letter on company letterhead that would support and corroborate their situation.

A student who considers themselves financially independent or whose parent(s) is unwilling and/or refuse to provide income information would not be considered an extenuating circumstance which warrants an approval. An extenuating or unusual circumstance does not include:

Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.

Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification.

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

Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

If the student is not meeting SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) standard(s), the SAP appeal must be reviewed and approved before an income appeal can be considered. For more information about SAP, please visit the SAP Review Process.

Timeframe for Review: Per Federal Student Aid guidelines, Río Hondo College must review all appeals as quickly as practicable but no later than 60 days after the student enrolls or submits an appeal (whichever is later). If additional documentation/clarification for the review of the appeal is needed and requested by the Financial Aid Office, the student will have a 60 day time-frame to provide the requested documentation or the appeal will be denied.

For more information about the appeal process, how to access the appeal, and how to begin the process, please contact the financial aid office.
Income Adjustment Appeal

Students may submit this appeal if they (and their parents if the student is dependent) have experienced a substantial change and/or decrease to their financial situation due to an extenuating circumstance. This may include but it is not limited to job-loss, decrease in income as a result of illness, etc. Consideration requires documentation of the situation such a lay-off notice, hospital bills, unemployment documentation, etc.

If the appeal is approved, the new income information will be used in re-determining the student’s financial need and eligibility.

A student who considers themselves financially independent or whose parent(s) is unwilling and/or refuse to provide income information would not be considered an extenuating circumstance which warrants an approval.

If the student is selected for financial aid file review (also known as Verification), this review must be completed and satisfied before an income appeal can be considered. If the student is not meeting SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) standard(s), the SAP appeal must be reviewed and approved before an income appeal can be considered. For more information about SAP, please visit the SAP Review Process.

Timeframe for Review: Per Federal Student Aid guidelines, Río Hondo College must review all appeals as quickly as practicable but no later than 60 days after the student enrolls or submits an appeal (whichever is later). If additional documentation/clarification for the review of the appeal is needed and requested by the Financial Aid Office, the student will have a 60 day time-frame to provide the requested documentation or the appeal will be denied.

For more information about the appeal process, how to access the appeal, and how to begin the process, please contact the financial aid office.
Cost of Attendance Appeal

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of expenses related to the student’s period of enrollment at Rio Hondo College. The COA factors in tuition and fees, books and supplies, transportation, living expenses (food and housing) for students attending half-time (6 units), and miscellaneous personal expenses. The total amount of financial aid, in general (which includes state and federal grants, student loans, federal work-study, and scholarships) that students receive, is limited to the COA.

If you believe you have specific educational related expenses that contributes to the costs associated with your enrollment that exceeds your COA, you may submit an appeal to have those expenses added to the COA. An example of acceptable expenses may include, but is not limited to, mandatory school supplies and equipment (i.e. computer for an art class that requires specific software), critical car engine repair (if you rely on it for transportation to and from the college), higher apartment rent, etc. Additional expenses will not necessarily increase your Pell Grant award amount, but it may allow you to receive additional resources.

Timeframe for Review: Per Federal Student Aid guidelines, Rio Hondo College must review all appeals as quickly as practicable but no later than 60 days after the student enrolls or submits an appeal (whichever is later). Please be prepared to provide (upload with your appeal) any documentation (i.e. receipts, letter explaining your circumstances, rental or lease agreement, etc.). If additional documentation/clarification for the review of the appeal is needed and requested by the Financial Aid Office, the student will have a 60 day time-frame to provide the requested documentation or the appeal will be denied.

For more information about the appeal process, how to access the appeal, and how to begin the process, please contact the financial aid office.

Special Circumstance Appeal Process

Special Circumstance Appeal Proces

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