FAFSA denied aid for trade school despite our low income - how is this possible?

Unfortunately, this happens a lot with FAFSA. The SAI formula doesn't just look at income - it considers assets, number of family members in college, and other factors that might have put you just over the threshold. For trade programs specifically, the aid calculations can be even more frustrating because some programs don't qualify for the full range of federal aid, depending on their classification and length. Two things you should do immediately: 1) Ask the financial aid office for a 'professional judgment review' based on special circumstances if you have any (medical expenses, job loss, etc.), and 2) Check if your son qualifies for work-study programs which sometimes have different eligibility requirements.

same thing happend to my daughter last yr!!! we only make like 58k and they said no to grants. its total BS how they do the math. something about home equity even tho we cant access that $$ without selling?? try looking at scholarships specfic to trade schools, my daughter found 2 small ones that helped some

The FAFSA system is COMPLETELY BROKEN and biased against middle-class and working families!!! I went through this exact same nightmare. The government pretends they want people to pursue trades and then makes it IMPOSSIBLE to afford without crippling debt. We made $72K and didn't qualify for anything despite having 2 other kids to support. The SAI calculation is deliberately confusing so nobody can actually challenge their decision. They count assets you can't even liquidate!!! Did you list any retirement savings? Because they'll penalize you for being responsible and saving for your future. It's disgusting how this system works.

Have you considered looking into vocational rehabilitation programs? If your son has any documented learning disabilities or physical conditions (even minor ones like documented ADHD or chronic pain), he might qualify for state vocational rehabilitation assistance that's separate from FAFSA. My brother got his welding certification fully funded this way after getting denied for traditional financial aid with similar family income to yours.

Try calling Federal Student Aid directly to ask for an explanation. You might just be misunderstanding something in the calculation. I was in the same position last year and thought we were denied everything, but it turned out there was an error in how our information was processed. The problem is getting through to someone - I was on hold for HOURS before giving up multiple times.

Financial aid professional here - a few important points about your situation: 1) For trade certificates at community colleges, program length matters tremendously. Programs under 600 hours or 15 weeks don't qualify for the full range of federal aid. Is his HVAC program a short-term certificate or a longer AAS degree? 2) Ask specifically about the Student Aid Index calculation and whether any information might have been entered incorrectly. Common errors include: reporting retirement assets as investments, incorrect household size, or errors in reporting business income. 3) Federal loans are still financial aid - many people mistakenly think "financial aid" only means grants. Was he denied federal loans as well, or just grants? 4) The college should have institutional and local scholarships specific to trade programs - these often have different requirements than federal aid. 5) Look into Income Share Agreements (ISAs) which are becoming popular for trade programs - you pay a percentage of income after employment rather than traditional loans.

Based on your follow-up comments, I'm almost certain it's the inherited property that's causing the issue. Even if you can't sell it due to legal complications, FAFSA still counts it as an available asset for education expenses. You need to file what's called a "Special Circumstances Form" with the financial aid office explaining why this property isn't actually available to help pay for education. Bring documentation of the legal issues preventing its sale. Also, ask specifically about state-based financial aid programs - many states have trade-specific grants that use different criteria than federal aid.

did u try the direct PLUS loans? my sister got those for her kids trade school. interest is higher but at least its federal not private

Has your son looked into employer-sponsored education? Many HVAC companies will hire apprentices with zero experience and pay for their certification. My cousin did this with a local company - worked part-time while they covered 80% of his trade school. It took a bit longer to complete but he graduated with almost no debt AND already had a job lined up. Just another option to consider!

UPDATE: I want to thank everyone for the amazing advice. We submitted a Special Circumstances form about the inherited property situation and requested a professional judgment review. The financial aid office was actually very helpful once we explained everything clearly. They're recalculating our SAI, and the advisor thinks my son might qualify for at least a partial Pell Grant! We're also looking into two local HVAC companies that offer tuition assistance programs. I feel so much better now - there are actually options we didn't know about. I'll update again when we get the final decision!

That's fantastic news! I'm so glad you were able to get the help you needed and that the financial aid office was more supportive once they understood your situation. Your experience is a perfect example of why it's so important to advocate for yourself and ask questions - the FAFSA system can be confusing, but there are often solutions available if you know how to navigate it. The combination of potentially getting a Pell Grant AND having employer tuition assistance options sounds like a great outcome. Thanks for sharing your update - it gives hope to other families in similar situations. Best of luck to your son with his HVAC program!

This is such an inspiring update! Your persistence really paid off, and I'm so glad you didn't give up after that initial disappointing response. The inherited property issue is actually more common than people realize - FAFSA's asset calculations can be really tricky when you have property you can't actually liquidate. Your experience is going to help so many other families who might be in similar situations but don't know about professional judgment reviews or special circumstances forms. The employer-sponsored route is brilliant too - getting paid while training AND having a guaranteed job afterward sounds like the ideal situation. Best of luck with the recalculation and the tuition assistance programs!