Special and Unusual Circumstances | Special And Unusual Circumstances | Butler Community College

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Special And Unusual Circumstances

Special and Unusual Circumstances

Professional Judgment 

The financial aid office understands that students and their families may at times experience unique situations, and, as much as possible, we are here to help. Butler financial aid may adjust, with appropriate documentation, the FAFSA or cost of attendance allowances that are specific to a student's situation. This is called Professional Judgment (PJ) and the determinations are made on a case-by-case basis. There are two categories of professional judgment situations that students or families may pursue based on special and unusual circumstances. A student may have both special and unusual circumstance.

Special Circumstances - Change in Income or Family Circumstances

Special Circumstances are changes in financial or family circumstances that may impact a student's eligibility for federal financial aid. Examples of special circumstances include but are not limited to:

  • Unemployment or reduced employment of the student, spouse, or parent.
  • Loss or reduction of an untaxed income or benefit.
  • Lump sum pay-out received in base year, such as a pay-out from a retirement account.
  • Family changes since filing the FAFSA such as a change in the student or parent's marital status.
  • Parent enrollment in college.
  • Beginning in 24-25 academic year, any other family member enrolled in college.

Steps to Request a Special Circumstance Professional Judgment

Butler Financial Aid begins processing special circumstance requests after June 1, prior to the start of the award year. Professional judgment requests can not longer be processed after a student ceases to be eligible, including when a student is no longer enrolled.

  1. If not already done, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.gov
    • A PJ request cannot be processed until the FAFSA application is completed and receivd by the college.
    • If a student's FAFSA is selected for verification or conflicting information needs resolved, all documentation needed for verification must be turned in to the Financial Aid office.
       
  2. Submit required Professional Judgment forms and additional documentation. 

Processing and Notification of Special Circumstance Professional Judgement Outcomes

  1. Once all documentation has been submitted, allow 2-4 weeks for review and processing. Processing time can take longer during peak enrollment times in August and January.
     
  2. Students will be notified via us postal mail of the outcome of the professional judgment and award adjustments can be viewed via your My.ButlerCC mobile app or My.ButlerCC.edu website.
     
  3. **Please note that a Professional Judgment request does not guarantee approval.  In addition, even if approved, the recalculation of FAFSA data does not always result in an increase of aid eligibility.  If the professional judgment is not in your favor, it will not be processed.

Unusual Circumstances - Cannot Provide Parent Information for FAFSA

Unusual Circumstances are conditions that support a change to a student's dependency status based on a unique situation. This process is called a Dependency Override and is done on a case-by-case basis.

Unusual Circumstances, based on a student's individual circumstances, can include but are not limited to:

            Parental Abandonment or Estrangement.
            Human trafficking as described in the Trafficking Victims Protections Act of 2000.
            Legally granted refugee or asylum status.
            Student or Parental Incarceration.

Unusual circumstances DO NOT include:

Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education, see Dependent Request for Unsubsidized Loan below.
Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification process, see Dependent Request for Unsubsidized Loan below.
Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
Student is financially independent.

Steps to Request an Unusual Circumstance Professional Judgment

  1. If not already done, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.gov
    1. To submit FAFSA without parent information you will need to answer yes to having unusual circumstances that prevent you from providing parental information.
  2. Contact the Financial Aid office at 316-322-3121 or finaid@butlercc.edu to speak to a counselor about completing a Dependency Override Interview.
    1. During the interview the counselor will ask you a series of questions about your relationship with your parents and your living situation.
    2. The counselor may ask you to provide a signed statement and/or documentation that supports your Dependency Override request.  
    3. Prior Year Dependency Override approvals will be carried forward to the subsequent award year automatically.
    4. Dependency Overrides approved at another school in the current or preceding award year can be used at Butler, contact the Financial Aid office for processing information.

Processing and Notification of Unusual Circumstance Professional Judgment Outcomes

  1. Once all documentation has been submitted, allow 2-4 weeks for review and processing. Processing time can take longer during peak enrollment times in August and January.
  2. Unusual Circumstance requests will be determined as quickly as practicable, but no later than 60 days after the student commences enrollment.
    1. After 60 days, incomplete requests will be denied but can be completed at a later date if the student is still eligible.
  3. Students will be notified via postal mail of the outcome of the Dependency Override.
    1. If Approved –
      1. Students should log in to their My.ButlerCC Portal to check the status of their financial aid, submit any outstanding or unsatisfied requirements, and view and accept their financial aid awards.
    2. If Denied – Students will need to add parental information on the FAFSA.
      1. Log back in to your FAFSA at FAFSA.gov to complete and resubmit your FAFSA with parental information.  

Dependent Student Request for Unsubsidized Loan

A dependent level unsubsidized loan may be available to students who are in a situation where their parent(s) refuse to provide information on the FAFSA, or they do not provide the student with any financial support. This includes room and board or providing insurance such as car or medical for you.

Steps for Processing a Dependent Request for Unsubsidized Loan

  1. If not already done, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.gov
    1. Skip parent section of the FAFSA and submit without parental information. This will result in a rejected FAFSA.
  2. Complete the 23-24 Dependent Request for Unsubsidized loan form and submit it to our office.
  3. The Financial Aid office will send a letter to the students’ parents at the address provided requesting they sign and date a statement that they are refusing to provide information for the FAFSA, or they are not providing financial support, including the date the support ended. The parent will have 30 days to respond.
  4. If the parent refuses to sign a statement, documentation from a third party, such as a teacher, counselor, cleric, or court, will be required.

Notification of Dependent Request for Unsubsidized Loan

  1. Once all documentation has been submitted, allow 2-4 weeks for review and processing. Processing time can take longer during peak enrollment times in August and January.
  2. The financial aid office will notify the student of the outcome of the loan request.
    1. If Approved – Student will need to complete the loan acceptance process.
    2. If Denied – Students will need to add parental information on the FAFSA.
      1. Log back in to your FAFSA at FAFSA.gov to complete and resubmit your FAFSA with parental information.  

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determination

The financial aid office can make a Homeless Youth Determination on a case-by-case basis. To qualify for this status a student must be an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or is self-supporting and at risk of being homeless. A student is considered homeless if they lack fixed, regular, and adequate housing. A student is considered unaccompanied if they are living apart from their parents. A student is considered a youth if they are under the age of 24.

Steps to Request and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determination

  1. If you are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless, or who is self-supporting and at risk of homelessness, please contact the Financial Aid office at 316-322-3121 or finaid@butlercc.edu to speak to a counselor about completing a Homeless Youth Determination.
    1. During the interview the counselor will ask you a series of questions about your relationship with your living situation and your ability to reside with your parents.
    2. The counselor may ask you to provide a signed statement and/or documentation that supports your Homeless Youth Determination request.  
  2. Prior Year Homeless Youth Determinations will be carried forward to the subsequent award year automatically.
  3. Homeless Youth Determinations made by another school in the current or preceding award year can be used at Butler, contact the Financial Aid office for processing information.
  4. In some cases, the financial aid counselor will be able to tell a student at the time of the interview if they meet the definition for a Homeless Youth Determination.

Notification of Homeless Youth Determination

  1. Homeless youth determination requests will be determined as quickly as practicable, but no later than 60 days after the student commences enrollment.
  2. After 60 days, incomplete requests will be denied but can be completed later if the student is still eligible.
  3. Students will be notified via postal mail of the outcome of the Homeless Youth Determination.
    1. If Approved –
      1. Students should log in to their My.ButlerCC Portal to check the status of their financial aid, submit any outstanding or unsatisfied requirements, and view and accept their financial aid awards.
    2. If Denied - Student will need to add parental inforamtion on the FAFSA.
      1. Log back in to your FAFSA at FAFSA.gov to complete and resubmit your FAFSA with parental information.