Financial Aid Appeals
FINANCES

A student who has been academically disqualified may appeal if:

• There are documented compelling and unforeseen reasons why academic standards were not met, and
• There is a high probability the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 2.00 or higher in no more than one additional semester of coursework, determined by having a Quality Point Deficiency of no more than 10 points as determined by the GPA repair calculator.

The Financial Aid Office can use professional judgment on a case-by-case basis to adjust the data used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) or a student's cost of attendance.

This type of appeal means a student asks the FLC Financial Aid Office to increase their overall Cost of Attendance (COA) to create a financial aid package. The COA is the foundation for establishing a student's financial need, as it limits the total aid a student may receive for Federal, State, and campus-based programs.

Listed below are the types of COA that can be increased through the appeals process.

1. Dependent care—COA increased amount will be based on the documentation provided with a maximum of $1496 per month per child per Colorado Commission on Higher Education guidelines.
2. Study-abroad expenses—COA increases for approved study-abroad expenses beyond the regular cost of attendance budget components will be considered.
3. Disability expenses—COA increases due to the costs related to special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and reasonably incurred supplies not provided by other agencies will be considered.

How to appeal for a COA Budget Increase

• Students must sign and submit COA Budget Increase Appeals in writing.
• Provide a personal statement describing your situation and what part of the cost of attendance you are appealing.
• All supporting documentation must be signed and printed on the agency letterhead (if applicable). The best way to submit the documents is by using our Secure Upload or attaching them in an email sent to skyhawkstation@fortlewis.edu from a student’s FLC email address.

Deadline  

The Financial Aid Office must receive the request and supporting documentation by the midterm of the Spring semester for either Fall or Spring term consideration or the 1st day of the summer term if beginning attendance in the summer term. 

Aid adjustments  

An increase in a student's cost of attendance budget does not guarantee an increase in financial aid awards. 

Notification of Appeal  

Completed COA Budget Increase Appeals process within 2-3 weeks after submission. The student will receive an email to their FLC email account with the outcome of their request.  

Students must have a FERPA waiver on file to discuss their education record with another person outside of FLC staff. Submit a FERPA waiver through the Student Resource Center.

The Financial Aid Office can use professional judgment on a case-by-case basis to adjust the data used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) or a student's cost of attendance.

This type of appeal means a student asks the FLC Financial Aid Office to review their dependency status to determine if they qualify as independent based on their family situation.

For the Financial Aid Office to consider an Appeal, the student must document an extreme, unique, and/or unusual family circumstance that prevents them from obtaining parental information.

Circumstances considered include:

• Abandonment by parents
• An abusive family environment that threatens the student's health and safety
• Inability to locate parents
• Incarceration or institutionalization of both parents
• Severe estrangement from a parent

Circumstances that DO NOT qualify for consideration include:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education or are not supporting the student
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
• The student demonstrates total self-sufficiency

How to appeal for a Dependency Override

If a student believes they qualify to appeal for a dependency override, they must contact Skyhawk Station for the Dependency Override Appeal Form.

General Instructions

Students appealing for a Dependency Override must:

• Submit a signed Request for Dependency Override form, along with a signed personal statement outlining why they should be considered independent, their current living situation, how they are supported, and details of the relationship/situation with both biological/adoptive parents.
• Have a current year FAFSA on file with the "special circumstances" box checked without parental information.
• Submit at least two signed letters from third parties confirming the student's situation and/or an official document such as a court order. At least one source must be from an unrelated professional who can verify the student's situation (A third party includes, but is not limited to, a teacher, counselor, medical authority, social worker, or a government agency).
• Return the form to the Financial Aid Office in person or via our Secure Upload.

Deadline:

The Financial Aid Office must receive the request and supporting documentation by the midterm date of the Spring semester or 1st day of the summer term if beginning attendance in the summer for the current academic year.

Aid adjustments:

Approving a Dependency Override Appeal does not guarantee increased financial aid awards.

Notification of Appeal

Completed Dependency Override Appeals process within 2-3 weeks after submission. The student will receive an email to their FLC

Students suspended because they failed to meet cumulative grade point average and/or cumulative pace standards, who were denied on appeal, who did not appeal, or who rejected an Academic Plan must re-establish eligibility for aid by meeting satisfactory academic progress standards by attending the College without benefit of financial aid.

The appeal process for Immediate Reinstatement

• Fill out the Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Application.
• Provide applicable supporting documentation.
• Students who appeal because they've reached their maximum time frame must include a degree plan form.
• Submit the documents through our Secure Upload or as an attachment in an email sent to skyhawkstation@fortlewis.edu from a student’s FLC email address.

Download the Financial Aid Suspension Form

"Earn Back" Appeal process when you're not eligible for Immediate Reinstatement

Re-establish eligibility by achieving SAP standards while attending FLC without federal, state, or need-based institutional aid, including federal loans. Once you meet SAP standards, you can appeal as an "Earn Back" to regain financial aid eligibility. We will use only courses taken at Fort Lewis College to calculate your new GPA.

Important information

1. Appeals will not be reviewed if the student's academic standing is an academic disqualification.
2. Students will receive email notification of the result of their appeal in their FLC email.
3. Students must comply with any appeal conditions by the designated deadlines.

If you believe you've been charged for institutional costs that you shouldn't be responsible for, you can appeal the charges. Submit an Institutional Charges Appeal Form and supporting documentation, and explain why you believe the charges are unjustified.

How to submit an Institutional Charges Appeal:

Fill out the form, providing a detailed explanation of your reasons for appealing the charges. Include any supporting documentation that may help your case.

• Download the Institutional Charges Appeal Form
• Upload the completed form and any supporting documents

Appeal deadline

The deadline for submitting your appeal for a review is midnight, the last calendar day of each month.

Appeal outcomes

The Student Billing Office will review your appeal and decide within 30 days.

• The Student Billing Office will adjust your charges if the appeal is granted.
• You'll receive an email to your official FLC email address explaining the decision if the appeal is denied
• The appeal may also be deferred, which means you must provide additional information for a decision to be made.

The Financial Aid Office can use professional judgment on a case-by-case basis to adjust the data used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) or a student's cost of attendance.

Students with a significant change in their household's financial circumstances from what was reported in their FAFSA form can submit a Reconsideration of Need Appeal to reconsider their financial aid eligibility based on the new information.   

*In most cases, approved appeals will only change Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Subsidized loan funds. 

Circumstances considered include: 

Listed below are situations the Financial Aid Office will consider a Reconsideration of Need Appeal for possible changes in financial aid eligibility: 

• My own, my spouse's, or my parent(s)' employment income has changed considerably due to layoff, termination, etc. 
• I, my spouse, or my parent(s) have/has unusually high unreimbursed, non-elective out-of-pocket medical or dental expenses. 
• I, my spouse, or my parent(s) lost untaxed income or benefits such as child support. 
• I, my spouse, or my parent(s) have/has elementary or secondary tuition. 
• I, my spouse, or my parent(s) have/has a loss of income and/or assets due to reasons beyond their control. (i.e., fire, natural disaster, death) 
• I, my spouse, or my parent(s) have/had a conversion of traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs in a reported tax year. 

Aid adjustments 

Adjustments to a financial aid award due to an approved Reconsideration of Need appeal are neither guaranteed nor immediate and depend upon funding availability.

General directions

• Return the form to the Financial Aid Office in person or via our Secure Upload.

Notification of appeal 

Completed Reconsideration of Need Appeals process within 2-3 weeks after submission. The student will receive an email to their FLC email account with the outcome of their request.  

Students must have a FERPA waiver on file to discuss their education record with another person outside of FLC staff. Submit a FERPA waiver through the Student Resource Center.

2024-2025 Reconsideration of Need - General Form
2024-2025 Reconsideration of Need - Estimated Income Form
2024-2025 Reconsideration of Need - Medical Expense Form

Students appealing a scholarship cancellation or award adjustment should submit a Scholarship Appeal Packet that includes the following:

1. A completed and signed Scholarship Appeal Form
2. A personal statement explaining the student’s situation.
3. Documentation specified on the Scholarship Appeal form or Documentation for a Degree Plan

You can submit a Scholarship Appeal Packet three ways, but we must receive it by the published deadline.

• Upload to the Financial Aid Office
• Fax: 970-247-7108
• Mail to: 
  Financial Aid Office
  Fort Lewis College
  1000 Rim Drive
  Durango, CO 81301-3999

Scholarship Appeal deadlines

Review process

Appeal packets will be reviewed by the Scholarship Appeals Committee shortly after each deadline. The committee will render one of the following decisions:

• Deferred.
• Denied, without the option to re-appeal.
• Denied, with the option to re-appeal after meeting cumulative grade point average and credit completion requirements.
• Approved for an immediate reinstatement of the total scholarship amount, with or without conditions.
• Approved for an immediate reinstatement of partial scholarship amount, with or without condition

Notification of outcomes of Scholarship Appeal process

• Students will be notified of the committee’s decision as soon as possible via their Fort Lewis College email account.
• Reinstated scholarship amounts will be posted on the student’s WebOPUS account.

The U.S. Department of Education has flagged your FAFSA application for the “Unusual Enrollment History” review because you have received Federal Pell Grant and/or student Direct Loan funding at multiple schools during the past four years. This flag requires the student to submit an Unusual Enrollment History appeal to the Fort Lewis College Financial Aid Office listing whether you earned credits during the terms you received Federal Pell Grant and/or Student Direct Loan funding or explaining why you did not earn any credits during the term(s) you received Federal funding.

Any future Federal financial aid you will receive depends on an approved appeal through the appeals process. 

General instructions

• Return the form to the Financial Aid Office in person or via our Secure Upload. 

2024-2025 Unusual Enrollment History Appeal Form