To to Write a Letter to Request a Review of Financial Aid for College
A good financial aid appeal letter tin can help you pay for school despite financial difficulties. Discover out how to write the perfect appeal letter.
Nosotros don't demand to tell yous that college is more expensive than always.
Fortunately, there are many college financial assist programs available. In fact, in the 2019–2020 schoolhouse year, 86.4% of applicants received some sort of financial aid.
Unfortunately, information technology's up to students to brand sure that they are receiving all the financial aid bachelor to them.
An estimated$2 billion in financial aid goes unclaimed each year!
And then what happens if y'all don't go the financial aid you were hoping for? What if y'all were just offered federal student loans when you lot were expecting grants?
You may be able to appeal the decision by submitting a formal fiscal aid appeal letter of the alphabet.
In this guide, we'll explicate how to write a fiscal help appeal letter and the reasons why you may want to.
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What is a financial help appeal letter?
Later you file your Free Application for Federal Educatee Assist (FAFSA), y'all'll receive a financial assist award letter from the higher or university. This letter volition cover the details of your scholarships, federal pupil loans, and grants.
If your situation has inverse since you filed your FAFSA, or if you didn't receive the aid you were expecting, you have the option to appeal the financial help decision.
Appealing financial assist typically involves writing a fiscal assist entreatment letter of the alphabet to the school. In information technology, you must draw thewhat and thewhy—meaning,whatblazon of assistance you are asking for, andwhy you believe you deserve that aid.
The amount of financial aid you receive is based on a combination of factors, including your income and the expected financial back up from your family.
But if the information on your FAFSA was incorrect, you may not have received the assistance you lot were expecting.
Likewise, if you've had a substantial change in income or another major life event, you may have a solid case for appealing the financial aid decision.
Reasons to write a financial aid appeal letter
Hither are some mutual situations in which you may wish to write a financial aid appeal alphabetic character seeking additional assistance:
Loss of income:If yous or someone y'all live with has lost their chore or had their hours reduced, yourelectric current household income will probable exist lower than the income level stated on the FAFSA. This is one of the almost mutual reasons to appeal a financial aid conclusion.
Incorrect data:If you made a fault on your FAFSA, this could cause y'all to become an wrong financial aid award. For instance, if you accidentally added an extra zero to a family fellow member'south income, this could affect the amount of aid you're eligible for.
Unexpected expenses:If your household has experienced a lot of financial strain due to unexpected expenses, the school may exist willing to modify your financial aid award. For case, if a major medical expense affects your family's power to provide fiscal support, this could change the expected family contribution (EFC).
Major life event:If your family experiences a major life issue, such as a death in the family or a divorce, this may crusade a substantial drop in household income—and potentially open up the door for your financial help honour to change.
How to write a financial aid appeal letter
Writing a financial aid letter can feel intimidating, but information technology really just requires you to know the basics ahead of time. For the all-time chance of successfully highly-seasoned the financial aid determination, follow the steps beneath.
i. Research school requirements
Each college and university will have slightly dissimilar expectations and requirements when it comes to appealing fiscal assist. Some may require a written letter, while others will take a specific class to fill out. As well, due dates for appeals vary by school.
To learn more than, yous can contact your school'south financial aid office and ask about the appeals process. Y'all tin likewise try researching online by searching for "[your school] financial help appeal" and similar search terms.
2. Observe the right contact
For best results, it's helpful to accost your appeal letter to a specific individual at your schoolhouse's financial aid section. Most schools have a directory of staff that students can access. While you lot can simply address the letter to "fiscal assist department," you may find more success in writing to a specific contact.
three. Determine how much aid to inquire for
During the appeals process, you will desire to ask for aspecific amount of money. Before appealing, practice the math to figure out how much aid you actually need to attend the schoolhouse, and be prepared to explain this amount.
4. Be clear and succinct
Your school's financial help department is busy. For all-time results, go on your writing articulate and concise. Mostly speaking, a financial assistance appeal alphabetic character should exist no more than 1 page in length.
5. Be grateful and courteous
It's of import to write respectfully and in the right tone. Begin the alphabetic character with gratitude for the fiscal aid you've already been offered, and close it with a genuine thank you for the consideration to modify your help corporeality.
6. Consider using a financial aid appeal letter of the alphabet template
If your school does non accept a specific course and requests a written letter, it can be helpful to utilise a template. SwiftStudent is a gratuitous resource that offers templates and other useful resources to help you lot write your entreatment letter.
7. Include all necessary data
You don't need to write your life story—only you will demand to encompass all the relevant information every bit to why you lot are highly-seasoned the decision. This includes details of special circumstances, the verbal amount you are request for, and appropriate documentation.
A adept financial help appeal letter will include all the necessary information without excessive "fluff." It should be concise, genuine, and respectful.
We'll discuss exactly what to include in your appeal letter in the section below.
What should I write in my fiscal aid appeal letter?
Here are the specific points that should be included in your letter. Exist sure to cheque your specific school'due south requirements to confirm what should be included.
A articulate "inquire"
You will need to directly ask the fiscal aid role to reconsider your help amount. You should also include a specific amount of money that yous are request for and why that amount would enable yous to attend the school.
A specific "why"
You will besides need to explainwhy y'all are requesting the boosted money and why you believe you deserve it.
This is where yous should depict any unexpected circumstances or major life changes that may have altered you or your family's ability to pay for school.
Relevant documentation
Attach any documents that demonstrate the change in circumstances. This could be a big medical bill, a expiry certificate of someone in the family, or a find of layoff/unemployment application to prove a change in income.
You can refer to these in your writing and so attach the actual documents to your letter.
A personal accost
As noted, you should address the letter to a specific individual inside your schoolhouse'due south financial assistance department if y'all tin can. Throughout the alphabetic character, yous can refer to this private past name. You'll desire to try and be personal yet respectful.
When should I submit my financial aid entreatment letter of the alphabet?
You should submit a fiscal aid appeal as soon every bit possible afterwards receiving your honor letter.
Your school may have deadlines for the appeals process—ask the financial assist section, or check online for details specific to your school.
There is a common misconception that financial assistance "runs out" and that you need to be 1 of the first to utilise to qualify.
However, when it comes to federal aid such as Pell grants and federal loans, this is not usually truthful. Every bit long equally you've submitted your FAFSA by the federal borderline, you'll be eligible for federal financial aid.
There are caps on how much benefit each educatee can receive, simply there are typically no caps on the corporeality of money that can exist doled outoverall through federal assistance programs.
Withal, information technology's different when it comes to higher demand-based financial assistance. Many schools have their own financial assist programs available to students, simply dissimilar federal funds, this money is limited.
For this reason, it's helpful to apply for financial aid and entreatment aid decisions ASAP if you don't receive the aid you need.
Financial aid appeal letter sample
November 14, 2021
Ms. Nadia Parks
Part of Financial Aid
[University or higher name]
[University or college address]
Dearest Ms. Parks,
I am Samantha Hopkins, an incoming freshman at [university]. I am very much looking forward to attending school this fall. I want to give thanks you for the fiscal aid packet extended to me. I am very grateful.
Unfortunately, my family has experienced a modify in income that volition affect my ability to pay for school. My mother was laid off due to COVID-19, and she has been unable to find another position yet. As such, the household income reported on my FAFSA is now wrong, and my family will be unable to help me comprehend college expenses. My family'southward expected household income has dropped from $90,000 to an estimated $45,000, affecting their power to provide financial back up for my education.
I truly promise that I can yet attend [university] this fall, but my financial situation has changed, and my ability to attend is now in jeopardy.
I am asking for a review of my financial aid laurels, with consideration of my family's new financial circumstances. I am respectfully requesting boosted fiscal assist in the amount of $5,000 to help me pursue my didactics. Your help is greatly appreciated, and I thank you for taking the time to review my financial aid honour.
Attached, please find confirmation of my mother's termination, equally well as the requested financial help entreatment form from your office. If any additional data or documentation is needed, please email or call me.
Sincerely,
Samantha Hopkins [accost] [phone number] [electronic mail accost]
What happens after you send your appeal alphabetic character
When you lot submit your appeal letter, a financial assist officer at your school will review it and either approve or deny the appeal.
If they approve your appeal, you'll receive a new financial aid award letter detailing the new amount of fiscal aid y'all'll receive for the upcoming academic yr.
If they deny your appeal, you typically won't exist able to appeal the determination again unless your circumstances take changed again.
The appeals process can accept several weeks or longer, but it really depends on the school. Your school's financial aid section should be able to tell you how long the process typically takes.
While you are waiting for the conclusion, the best affair to practise is to explore other ways to help pay for higher expenses, including niche scholarships. Mos can aid you navigate the scholarship process to assist you get every dollar possible to fund your education.
Conclusion
Submitting a financial assistance appeal letter is well worth doing if you find that your fiscal help honor is not what you lot were hoping for.
The process can take as little as an hr, and it tin really pay off if your appeal is granted.
If you want help navigating the student loan, financial assistance, and scholarship procedure, check out Mos. Nosotros assistance students get the most money for school possible—plus, Mos now offers banking services specifically designed for students!
Source: https://www.mos.com/blog/financial-aid-appeal-letter/
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