Unusual Circumstances Request

Unusual Circumstances

The FAFSA determines a student’s dependency status based on the answers provided to several questions.  If a student answers “no” to all the FAFSA dependency questions, they are considered a dependent student for financial aid purposes and must provide parent information.

If there are unusual circumstances where a student cannot provide parent information such as: parental estrangement or abandonment; refugee or asylum status; student or parent incarceration; victim of human trafficking – the Stanly Community College Financial Aid office may be able to perform a dependency override.

The dependency override updates the FAFSA to an independent student for financial aid purposes and does not require parent information or signature.

A dependency override cannot be performed if:

• The parents refuse to contribute to the student's education; or
• The parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification; or
• The parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes; or
• The student demonstrates total self-sufficiency

As part of the unusual circumstances review process, the SCC Financial Aid office will ask for supporting documentation as required by the Dept. of Education.

How to request a Unusual Circumstance review:

Complete the Unusual Circumstance form.

Submit the completed form along with supporting documentation to the SCC Financial Aid office.

Once all documentation has been successfully submitted, please allow up to two weeks for review and processing.

The review process will not exceed 60 days.