Appeals

We understand that there may be circumstances that affect your ability to pay for college. They may not be apparent on your financial aid application. Perhaps your or your family’s income has changed since the application was filed. Or, you may have educational expenses that weren't included in your financial aid budget. Consider submitting an appeal. This will allow our counselors to evaluate the impact of your special circumstances on your eligibility for financial aid.

DEADLINE: Please submit your appeal as early as possible, but NO LATER THAN 6 WEEKS BEFORE THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR. Some funding (ex: institutional grants) may be limited so try to submit your appeal as early as possible.

EVALUATION PROCESS: Appeals are typically reviewed within 4-6 weeks. During busy processing times (such as the summer), it may take longer for your appeal to be evaluated. If your appeal is approved you will receive a revised notification of eligibility on MyUCLA. This will reflect the changes made to your award. If your appeal is denied, you will receive an email to notify you of the reason(s) for the denial.

Please take a look below at the list of most common reasons for an appeal.

Changes that affect your SAI

Appeals that result in a reduction of your Expected Family Contribution can result in an increase of grant aid.
If the Student Aid Index on your Student Aid Report is between -1,500 to 0, submitting this type of an appeal will not further decrease your SAI. Given that zero is the lowest SAI number, you have been offered the maximum amount of Financial Aid available.

Circumstances that qualify for a reevaluation of income are:

• Loss of employment
• Divorce
• Death of a Parent
• Parents’ out-of-pocket medical and/or dental expenses. Please submit a statement explaining the circumstances, AND copies of parents’ federal tax returns for the last year, AND verification of the medical condition that necessitated the expenditure, AND verification of out-of-pocket costs paid.

You can use a Projected Year Income Petition (at Forms and Publications Page) to submit an appeal based on loss of earnings. Submit all supporting documentation to Financial Aid and Scholarships office. Please read the instructions carefully.

All appeal forms can be found on our Forms and Publications Page. Please ensure you select the correct academic year.

Campus Medical Care Assistance Fund (CMCAF) for students with medical expenses not covered by SHIP

UCLA can provide up to $3,000 to eligible students for out-of-pocket medical expenses. You must be currently enrolled in UC SHIP. More information at: Campus Medical Care Assistance Fund (CMCAF)

Changes that affect your cost of education (financial aid budget)

If the student’s qualified educational expenses during the academic year exceed their basic financial aid budget, an APPEAL can be submitted to request additional assistance. Your cost of education can only be adjusted to reflect your (not parent’s) expenses. If a budget increase is approved, the increase will be funded with additional loans.

All appeal forms can be found on our Forms and Publications Page. Submit all supporting documentation to Financial Aid and Scholarships office. Please read the instructions carefully.

• To request a change in your housing status (for example off-campus to on-campus) use the HOUSING ADJUSTMENT FORM. If your housing costs exceed the standard allowance in your budget you may request a budget increase.
• Submit a BUDGET INCREASE REQUEST FORM if your aid needs to be increased to cover the following costs:
  • Computer purchase
  • Student’s medical/dental/optical expenses not covered by insurance
  • Childcare expenses
  • Special Projects
  • Airfare – cost of travel to visit family for the holidays or in an emergency

  Appealing for On-Time Consideration

  Financial aid is limited for students who do not submit their FAFSA or DREAM Act Application before the March 2 deadline. For the purposes of the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the Priority filing deadline was May 2, 2024.

  We understand that there may be extenuating circumstances which prevented you from filing your application in a timely manner. If you are in this position, we encourage you to submit a LATE APPLICATION APPEAL FORM (Forms and Publications Page). You can explain what prevented you from submitting your application on time. Please include any documentation in support of your appeal. Please ensure your name and University ID are included on your correspondence.

  These appeals will be reviewed on the basis of your circumstances. Factors include:
  were the circumstances beyond your control; past record (if you are a continuing student and applied on time in the past); and availability of funds (awarding priority is given to applicants who file by the deadline). Some funding sources are limited.

  You will be notified of our decision via email once the appeal has been reviewed.

  The Late Application Appeal form can be found on our Forms and Publications page. Please make sure you select the correct academic year.

  Independent Appeals

  If adverse circumstances make providing the required parental information, you can submit an appeal to be reclassified as an independent student for financial aid consideration.

  NOTE: Our criteria to consider you independent for financial aid is different from those used by the Residence Deputy. For example, you are required to document financial independence to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes. Financial hardship, parents' inability, or refusal to provide support and/or student's ability to be self-sufficient CANNOT be used to classify you as an Independent Student for financial aid purposes.

  The Independent Petition can be found on our Forms and Publications page. Please make sure you select the correct academic year.

  Homeless/Unaccompanied Youth

  As an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth, you meet the following definition established by the US Department of Education:

  HOMELESS: lack fixed, regular, and adequate housing. This includes: living in shelters, motels, cars, parks; temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go; situations in which you are fleeing an abusive parent who would otherwise provide you with financial support and a place to live.
  AND UNACCOMPANIED: means you are not living in the physical custody of your parent or
  guardian.

  If you answered “YES” to the HOMELESS/UNACCOMPANIED question on your Financial Aid Application, you must verify your status with our office. Refer to your Document List in MyUCLA, hover over the "Homeless Verification" checklist item for instructions. For guidance on how to upload documents via MyUCLA, refer to our MyUCLA Upload Guide.

  If you answered “NO” to the HOMELESS/UNACCOMPANIED question on your Financial Aid Application but are NOW Homeless and/or Unaccompanied, please Contact Us. We can schedule an appointment with your Aid Counselor to document your circumstance. You do NOT need to make changes to your Financial Aid Application at this time.

  Appealing for additional unsubsidized loan due to ineligible parent borrowers

  If you are a dependent student, and your parent is unable to borrow due to exceptional circumstances, the DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM allows a school to award additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds. Examples of exceptional circumstances are:

  • The parent is incarcerated;
  • The parent’s whereabouts is unknown;
  • The parent is not a US citizen, or cannot provide evidence they are in the US other than a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or permanent resident;
  • The parent receives only public assistance or disability benefits, and the school has documented that they would not be able to repay the PLUS Loan;
  • The parent has filed for bankruptcy (must provide documentation from bankruptcy court stating parent may not incur any additional debt); or
  • The parent is unlikely to repay the PLUS Loan due to an existing debt burden or their low income-to-debt ratio.

  If you think you meet these criteria for an additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan, please complete the Special Circumstance Appeal. We can advise you on how to document your circumstances.