Special Circumstances: Income Review
The Financial Aid Office is committed to maximizing the qualifications of all financial aid applicants. A student/parent who wishes to present an extenuating circumstance will be provided the opportunity to file a written request and have the situation further reviewed.
Reasons for a review, though not limited to these, typically fall into one of the following categories:
- A change in the employment status, income or assets of the student, spouse or the students’ parents, if dependent;
- A change in housing status (e.g., homelessness);
- Severe disability of the student or other member of the student’s household;
- A significant change in the household (e.g., marital separation of student or parents after FAFSA completion*, loss or reduction of untaxed income such as child support or Social Security benefits, death of parent, etc.);
- Unusually high out-of-pocket medical/dental expenses;
- Child care expenses during time spent at school;
- Other changes or adjustments that impact the student’s costs or ability to pay for college.
* If a student or parents’ marital status has changed since taxes were filed, but not since the FAFSA was filed, your FAFSA should be completed with only the remaining person’s income. This may mean the income on the taxes needs to be divided. If you need assistance with this, the Financial Aid Office can help.
Please complete the applicable Special Condition/Income Reduction document below and submit with the required supporting documentation via one of the following:
- Finaid@virginiawestern.edu
- Fax to 540-857-6208
- Upload via the Student Support Center
- In person at Chapman Hall, VWCC Campus
Once submitted, Additional Messages will be posted to the Student’s Message Center when additional action is required or review is complete. Please check your Message Center often.
- 2023-2024 Special Condition/Income Review – Dependent Student
- 2023-2024 Special Condition/Income Review – Independent Student
- 2022-2023 Special Condition/Income Review – Dependent Student
- 2022-2023 Special Condition/Income Review – Independent Student
Special Circumstances: Dependency Review
If you are under the age of 24, in most cases your financial aid eligibility must be determined using the financial information of your birth/adoptive parent(s). However, we realize that the family situations of some students may need further review because of extenuating circumstances. Circumstances for a dependency status review include, but are not limited to:
- Involuntary dissolution of the family due to death, imprisonment, or abandonment
- An abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety
- The student’s inability to locate parents
- Other mitigating circumstances.
The U.S. Department of Educations requires documentation to be submitted to the Virginia Western Office of Financial Aid, Veterans’ Affairs, and Records in order to determine if your circumstances warrant a dependency override. The decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and are final. Even if an override was approved in a previous academic year or at a previously attended institution, this does not guarantee an approval for the current award year.
You must submit the below form as well as:
- A typed and signed detailed letter from you, the student, explaining the extenuating circumstance, including your relationship with either your biological or adoptive parents.
- A separate letter from an independent third party, not a family member, that includes what they have witnessed regarding your circumstances, their signature, and a telephone number where they may be contacted if there are additional questions. This letter must include as much detail about the situation as possible. A court order may also be submitted if available.
- If you cannot provide a letter from an independent source, please explain why in your letter. You may submit a signed letter from another source like a family member in its place.
Please complete the applicable Dependency Status Review document below and submit with the required supporting documentation via one of the following:
- Finaid@virginiawestern.edu
- Fax to 540-857-6208
- Upload via the Student Support Center
- In person at Chapman Hall, VWCC Campus.
Once submitted, Additional Messages will be posted to the Student’s Message Center when additional action is required or review is complete. Please check your Message Center often.
Contact Us
finaid@virginiawestern.edu
Chapman Hall C106
855-874-6690
Fax: 540-857-6208
Mailing address:
3094 Colonial Ave. SW
Roanoke, VA 24015
Walk-in Hours
Mon-Thurs: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Fri: 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
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