Appeals

Dependency Override Appeal

Under Federal Regulations, students under the age of 24 are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using their own and their parent's or parents' financial information. However, if there is an unusual circumstance such as an abusive family environment, abandonment by parents, parental drug abuse or parental incarceration, a dependency override appeal may be considered. Per the Department of Education, the following circumstances do not determine your dependency status: 

  1. Parents refuse to contribute to your education
  2. Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification
  3. Having sufficient resources to pay for your own expenses
  4. Parents do not claim you as a dependent for tax purposes

If you wish to appeal your dependency status, follow the submission instructions on the form. Dependency override appeal form can be found here

Special Circumstances Appeal

A family’s prior year income is used to determine eligibility for a student’s financial need on the current FAFSA. However, since there may be circumstances that could drastically change a family’s financial situation, we may use your family’s expected income to determine your Pell grant eligibility calculation in such cases. Income must have decreased by 10% to complete this appeal.

Reduction of Income form can be found here

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal

Federal regulations require students to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in three areas – cumulative GPA, hours earned and maximum time frame – to be eligible for financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to stay informed of Morton College’s Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and to monitor their own progress. As a courtesy, Morton College will send notification to students who have not met these standards at the end of each semester.

Students who fail to meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress are placed on financial aid suspension. You have the right to appeal your termination. If you wish to file an appeal, download the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form (PDF) and follow the submission instructions on the form.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy