There are varying circumstances when a student may want to appeal their financial aid eligibility. The following are appeal processes in place to assist with these circumstances.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy requires that students maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, earn at least 67% of their attempted units, and finish their program before reaching 150% of the program's length. While students are expected to meet academic requirements to maintain their financial aid eligibility, we understand extenuating circumstances may prevent students from meeting satisfactory progress towards their educational goal.
Extenuating Circumstances
Circumstances or situations that are unexpected, could not be planned for, and are outside of your control.
Extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to:
- Serious physical or emotional illness of the student or immediate family member
- Death of a family member
- Accident or injury to the student or immediate family member
- Loss or change of employment
- Disasters affecting student's attendance
If you feel that extenuating circumstances have hindered your academic performance, you may be eligible to submit a SAP Appeal through StudentForms to have your financial aid eligibility reconsidered. Be sure to check out the Appeal Checklist located on the Satisfactory Academic Progress page to learn more about the appeal process.
- Expected Family Contribution Appeal
If your and/or your family's financial circumstances have changed significantly from what you reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA), you may submit a Family Contribution Appeal through StudentForms. Your change in financial circumstances may result in a revision to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and you may qualify for additional financial aid.
Expected Family Contribution
A number generated by the information provided on the student's FAFSA or CADAA and is used to determine the student's ability to pay for college.
Examples of financial circumstances which may qualify for an EFC adjustment include:
- Loss or reduction in income
- High out-of-pocket medical and/or dental expenses
- Divorce, separation, or death of a parent
- Dependency Appeal
To complete the FAFSA or CADAA, dependent students (those who are under the age of 24 at the Community College level) are required to include parent information. There are some unique circumstances* where a student may not be able to obtain the required parent information on their financial aid application. If this is your situation, we encourage you to speak with a financial aid staff to determine if submitting a dependency appeal is appropriate for your situation.
*Examples of family circumstances include parents are deceased, or an unsafe home environment such as parental neglect, abuse, drug or alcohol addiction, or mental health problems.
- California College Promise Grant Appeal
By the time a student has earned 12 units, they must meet a minimum GPA of 2.0 and successfully complete more than 50% of all units attempted to maintain eligibility for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG). While students are expected to meet academic requirements to maintain their California College Promise Grant, we understand circumstances may arise and prevent students from meeting satisfactory academic progress. For more information, please contact us in Student Financial Services so we can help you.
- Scholarship Appeal
SRJC Foundation Scholarship eligibility is based on varying criteria specific to each award. If you have lost eligibility for a scholarship, please contact the Scholarship Department for guidance on your ability to appeal.