How to Request an Income Reduction / Special Circumstance Review
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measurement of your family's financial situation and is used to determine your eligibility for need-based aid in a given academic year. You received an EFC based on the information provided on your FAFSA application, and an award package was determined by using this EFC.
The 2024-2025 (Fall 2024/Spring 2025/Summer 2025) FAFSA used 2022 tax year information to determine your EFC; however, an appeal may be submitted to consider differences reflected in the 2023 or 2024 tax year. Requests for the 2024-2025 school year can be submitted in July; please check back for information on the 2024-2025 process.
If the income information/circumstances on your FAFSA has changed considerably since the time you filed, you may submit an income reduction review. The review, if approved, will re-calculate your EFC using more current income information. Note for families with a zero EFC: Do not submit this form – you have already been awarded the maximum of need-based aid allowable.
Reviewable changes may include:
- Reduction of Income/Benefits
- Death of Spouse
- Divorce/Separation
If your current situation is not listed above, please contact the financial aid office and a counselor will assess your situation. Not all situations are reviewable per federal regulations.
Follow these steps to begin the re-evaluation process:
- Begin the process by submitting an Income Reduction - Special Circumstance Request form.
- Establish the nature and cause of the change in circumstances. Then submit either a Student Review form or a Parent Review form (whichever is applicable). Be sure to include the appropriate and relevant supporting documentation requested on the form. If you have questions while filling out the form, please visit our office to speak with a financial aid advisor.
- Respond to requests for additional information as soon as possible.
- Re-evaluation of your financial aid eligibility is subject to federal, state and college guidelines and is based on whether or not the change in financial circumstance has an actual impact on your aid eligibility, the timeliness of your original application for financial aid (filing the FAFSA), the timeliness and completeness of your appeal and the nature of the change in circumstances. A financial aid advisor will review the initial documentation you submit. Additional documentation specific to your situation will likely be requested, and we will contact you via your MCCCD student email. Processing will not continue on your file until all follow-up documents are received.
- Review the result of the re-evaluation.
- We will notify you once the review is complete. The information we send you will summarize the decision and any actions you may need to take. We know that there are many circumstances that may impact a family’s ability to contribute to a student’s education, and we will work with you to determine if your individual circumstances will change your aid eligibility. Unfortunately, not all circumstances will be eligible for consideration, and not all appeals will result in additional financial assistance.
Student Review Form
Use this form to request a review of a change in the student’s (student and spouse, if married) income/circumstance. Please note: A loss of income sustained only by a dependent student, but not substantially affecting the total combined income of the family (which includes the parent’s income), may have little to no impact on a student's financial aid eligibility.
If your current situation is not on this form and you want to know if it is reviewable, please contact us and a counselor will assess your situation. Not all situations are reviewable per federal regulations.
Parent Review Form
Use this form to request a review of a change in the parent’s income/circumstance.
If your current situation is not on this form and you want to know if it is reviewable, please contact us and a counselor will assess your situation. Not all situations are reviewable per federal regulations.