职业判断

Eligibility for financial aid is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which uses financial information from two years prior. The 金融援助 Office recognizes that households can experience changes in income, 其他财政, or experience a special or unusual circumstance that are not adequately reflected on the student's FAFSA.

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What is 职业判断?

职业判断 is the process of reviewing an individual student's unique circumstance(s) and exercising the option to change certain elements on the FAFSA to help determine a student's eligibility for financial aid.

When there are unusual situations or circumstances that impact your federal student aid eligibility, federal regulations give a financial aid administrator discretion (or professional judgment) to make adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA that impact your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to gain a more accurate assessment of your family's ability to contribute to your cost of education. This is done on a case-by-case basis and with adequate documentation. The Department of Education does not have the authority to override a school's professional judgment decision.

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Types of 职业判断

Federal regulations distinguish between different categories of 职业判断:

1. 特殊情况下 refer to the financial situations that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) or in the EFC calculation. 例子包括, but are not limited to, loss of a job, divorce or separation, death, etc.
2. Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation, more commonly referred to as a dependency override. 例子包括, but are not limited to, 父母的遗弃, 人口贩卖, refugee or asylee status, 监禁.

A student may have one or both a special circumstance and an unusual circumstance.

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职业判断 FAQs

Q. I have a special circumstance and/or unusual circumstance. How do I apply for 职业判断?
A. 向你的 financial aid counselor to discuss your situation. Your counselor will let you know what information and supporting documents are needed for 职业判断, and what your next steps are.

Q. What documents do I need to submit for 职业判断?
A. Your financial aid counselor will let you know what supporting documents are needed for your specific situation.

Q. How long do I have to submit requested documents for 职业判断?
A. All requested documents should be submitted 尽快, but must be received while you are actively enrolled.

Q. What if I do not have documents being requested for 职业判断?
A. Contact your financial aid counselor to discuss possible alternatives.

Q. How do I submit my requested documents for 职业判断?
A. You may email most documents to (电子邮件保护), fax to (949) 214-3500, drop off in-person, or mail to our office.

Q. How long before I know the outcome of my 职业判断?
A. Once all of the requested documents are submitted, it may take up to 6 weeks to receive a decision.

Q. Are 研究生 students eligible to apply for 职业判断?
A. No, 研究生 students are not eligible for 职业判断. This is because 研究生 students are only eligible for Direct Unsubsidized 贷款. You are not required to show financial need to receive a Direct Unsubsidized Loan so changes to the FAFSA that impact the EFC will not change the type or amount of aid offered.

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Who's my financial aid counselor?

访问我们的 工作人员 page or email our office at (电子邮件保护) to schedule an appointment. You can also come in-person to discuss 职业判断 with your counselor. The 金融援助 Office is located on the 2nd Floor of Grimm Hall, North (next to the School of Business) and is open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm.