Special Consideration

special consideration

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is based on prior-prior-year tax information (tax information from two years prior). The U.S. Department of Education regulates the process of collecting prior-prior year income and uses a formula based on the FAFSA information provided to determine a student’s Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is used to determine the amount of federal aid (grants, loans, work-study) a student may be eligible to receive.

However, we recognize that the FAFSA information may not always accurately portray your current financial situation. If your financial situation has changed due to circumstances beyond your control, you may request a special consideration review of your financial aid eligibility based on those circumstances. 

For example, during the 2025-2026 aid year, this process may allow the use of your 2024 federal taxes or July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 income instead of the 2023 federal tax information.

Examples of circumstances that may be considered for review include the following:

  • Loss/reduction of income,
  • Loss of benefits (social security, disability),
  • Divorce or separation (parents or student – 6 week minimum),
  • Reduction or end of child support payments received, and/or
  • Death of a parent or spouse.

Examples of conditions that will NOT be considered for review include (not an all-inclusive list):

  • One-time payment received, such as, but not limited to,
    • lottery/gambling losses or winnings,
    • inheritance,
    • withdrawals from pension, or
    • sale of property.
  • Bankruptcy, and/or
  • Tuition paid for private (elementary/secondary) school or daycare.

A FAFSA is required before requesting special consideration. Be advised that the first step of a special consideration review is a student will be required to complete the verification process. This process will require additional documents, such as a verification form, a signed tax return or tax transcript, W-2s, and/or 1099s based on the tax year reported on the FAFSA. Additional documents may also be requested during the process. The special consideration review will not continue until the verification is complete.

The special consideration process:


Once all the requested documents are received, we will determine if the circumstances qualify for a review and if the change(s) will impact the student’s SAI. A request for special consideration does not guarantee approval nor does it always result in increased aid eligibility for a student. If the changes do not provide additional federal aid for the student, the process will not proceed. If there is a positive impact on federal aid, the new information will be submitted to FAFSA. The student will receive an updated award letter sent to their ATU email notifying them of the changes. This process usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to complete once all the documents have been received by the ATU Financial Aid Office.

How do I submit the special consideration request?

Before submitting a special consideration request, the student must submit a FAFSA for that aid year and complete all missing financial aid requirements on OneTech. The student must also email fa.review@atu.edu with information regarding their situation to see if they may be eligible to submit a request. Please be sure to include the Tech ID (T#) on all correspondence to our office.

2025-2026 Request for Aid Review

 
Once approved by aid office; submit all documents through the secure link below. Log in with Onetech id & password.

Upload Special Consideration Documentation


 
what may I have to submit?

In addition to the form above, click the reason for the request and a list of additional requirements will appear. Keep in mind, these are just examples of documents a student could be required to submit. Each situation is based on the individual circumstances and may require additional or more specific documentation than listed below.