FAFSA appeal process - does student loan affect SAI calculation?

Student loans are NOT included in your SAI calculation. The SAI (Student Aid Index) is what determines your eligibility for aid, while loans are part of the aid package itself that comes after the SAI is calculated. Your job loss is definitely grounds for an appeal - this is called a "Professional Judgment" review. For documentation, you'll need: 1. Letter explaining the change in circumstances 2. Proof of job loss (termination letter) 3. Recent unemployment statements 4. Current bank statements 5. Estimated current year income Be specific about how much your income has dropped. Most schools have their own financial aid appeal form on their website too.

i went thru this last yr. make sure u submit EVERYTHING they ask for or theyll deny it without even looking at it fully. my appeal got rejected the first time bcuz i forgot to include my dads paystubs even tho i sent his w2. super annoying process tbh

The financial aid offices can be SO frustrating to deal with! When we tried appealing last year, I called literally 16 times and either got disconnected or was on hold for 2+ hours each time. It was a NIGHTMARE. We ended up getting a partial adjustment but it took forever and I had to become basically a full-time financial aid detective. Make sure you document EVERYTHING and follow up constantly or they'll forget about your case.

Financial aid professional here. Just want to clarify a few things: 1. Your SAI (Student Aid Index) is based on your FAFSA information from the prior-prior year (so for 2025-2026, they're using 2023 tax data). 2. Special circumstances appeals (like job loss) are handled at the institutional level, not by FAFSA directly. 3. Each school has different forms and processes for appeals, so contact your specific school's financial aid office for their requirements. 4. Appeals can take 2-4 weeks to process depending on the school and their workload. 5. Most schools will make a provisional financial aid decision before your appeal is fully processed if you explain the enrollment deadline situation. Focus your appeal letter on the specific change in income and how it affects your ability to pay the expected family contribution.

@profile6 Good question! Yes, the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) was renamed to SAI (Student Aid Index) starting with the 2024-2025 FAFSA. They function similarly as a measure of a family's financial strength, but there were some calculation changes made during the transition. The terminology change is part of the FAFSA Simplification Act.

Update: I just spoke with the financial aid office and submitted our appeal! They said typical processing time is 3 weeks but they'll expedite it given our enrollment deadline. They requested proof of my previous income, termination letter, unemployment benefits statement, and a detailed letter explaining our circumstances. The advisor actually seemed really helpful and mentioned that job loss is one of the more common reasons for successful appeals. Fingers crossed we get some adjustment to the SAI! Thanks everyone for your advice.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try to calculate that tonight. The financial aid officer mentioned they'll look at our projected income for the full year (including the months I was employed plus estimated unemployment). She said they typically convert the appeal decision into an adjusted grant amount rather than explicitly telling us the new SAI.

As someone who just went through this process with my son last semester, I want to echo what others have said about documentation being key. One thing that really helped us was creating a simple timeline document showing "before job loss" vs "after job loss" income projections for the entire year. We included monthly breakdowns and it seemed to make our case much clearer to the appeals committee. Also, don't forget to mention any other changes in your financial situation - reduced 401k contributions, increased medical expenses, etc. These can all be considered as part of your special circumstances. The appeals process can feel overwhelming but most financial aid officers genuinely want to help families in situations like yours. Good luck with your daughter's appeal!

Just wanted to add - if you're dealing with unemployment benefits, make sure to include documentation showing the difference between your previous salary and current unemployment payments. When I helped my neighbor with her appeal last year, the financial aid office specifically asked for this comparison to show the actual income reduction amount. Also, if you have any other family members affected by the job loss (like if you had to reduce contributions to a sibling's education or elderly parent care), include that context too. The more complete picture you can paint of how the job loss impacted your entire family's financial situation, the stronger your appeal tends to be. Wishing you the best outcome!