Many appeals allow you to request a review of a decision that affects you academically or financially.
The appeals process can be complicated. Get help from one of our Skyhawk Specialists at any time.
A student who has been Academically Separated may appeal if:
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.
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.
An increase in a student's cost of attendance budget does not guarantee an increase in financial aid awards.
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.
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.
If a student believes they qualify to appeal for a dependency override, they must contact Skyhawk Station for the Dependency Override Appeal Form.
Students appealing for a Dependency Override must:
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.
Approving a Dependency Override Appeal does not guarantee increased financial aid awards.
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.
Download the Financial Aid Suspension Form
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
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.
Fill out the form, providing a detailed explanation of your reasons for appealing the charges. Include any supporting documentation that may help your case.
The deadline for submitting your appeal for a review is midnight, the last calendar day of each month.
The Student Billing Office will review your appeal and decide within 30 days.
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.
Listed below are situations the Financial Aid Office will consider a Reconsideration of Need Appeal for possible changes in financial aid eligibility:
Adjustments to a financial aid award due to an approved Reconsideration of Need appeal are neither guaranteed nor immediate and depend upon funding availability.
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.
2024-2025 Reconsideration of Need - General Form2024-2025 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:
You can submit a Scholarship Appeal Packet three ways, but we must receive it by the published deadline.
Appeal packets will be reviewed by the Scholarship Appeals Committee shortly after each deadline. The committee will render one of the following decisions:
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.
2024-2025 Unusual Enrollment History Appeal Form
Email: skyhawkstation@fortlewis.eduPhone: 970-247-7301Drop-in: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday
Skyhawk Station staff will check you in and guide you to a self-service kiosk or connect you with a Skyhawk Specialist or Advisor.