Change in Circumstances Requests

Financial Aid Administrators have the authority to take into consideration unique family circumstances not reflected on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The purpose of the recalculation is to update your FAFSA with more accurate financial information which may change your financial aid eligibility. There are no guarantees that the student will become grant eligible or have an increase in existing grant eligibility. An aid administrator may use Professional Judgment (PJ) on a case-by-case basis to adjust the following:

  • Student's Cost of Attendance
  • FAFSA Data Elements used to calculate the Student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Eligible Circumstances

The following is a list of circumstances that may be used by a financial aid administrator in the use of Professional Judgment.

  • Reduction or loss in Household Income due to layoffs, furlough, or job displacement. In the case of a loss of employment the FAFSA Recalculation cannot be considered until the individual has been unemployed for at least 8 weeks.
  • Non-recurring income, such as early withdrawal from a retirement account or insurance payout, severance pay, or other one-time income reported on the FAFSA
  • Divorce or Separation following completion of the FAFSA
  • Death of a parent or spouse

The following are not examples:

  • vacation expenses
  • utilities, credit card expenses
  • mortgage payments
  • car payments
  • lawn care
  • personal debt

Requirements

To apply for a change in circumstances review, parents and/or students must submit all required documents for review. Once all documentation is received the college will update the FAFSA and notify the student of the outcome. In cases where the recalculation will not change eligibility the FAFSA will not be updated. These documents will be reviewed and processed by a financial aid advisor to determine eligibility. If approved, the financial aid award letter will be revised, and a notification sent to the student.

Next Step

If you believe that you have a compelling reason(s) to be considered for a change in circumstances, please complete the following steps:

  • Book an Appointment with a financial aid counselor ((214) 333-5363 or finaid@dbu.edu) for a change in circumstances to determine the additional documentation that is required.
  • After a counselor has determined that you may be eligible to request an independent student status, an application for a dependency override will be available within your financial aid checklist via MyDbu.
  • Allow 3-4 weeks for the Dependency Override to be processed.