Professional Judgement
Sometimes life circumstances change after you file the FAFSA, and the information on your application may no longer reflect your current situation. In these cases, our Financial Aid Office may be able to review your individual circumstances through a process called Professional Judgment (PJ).
Professional Judgment is when a financial aid administrator looks at your situation and, if appropriate, makes certain adjustments so that your financial aid eligibility is more accurate.
There are two types of circumstances we can consider:
- Special Circumstances: Requests to adjust the Student Aid Index (SAI) and/or Cost of Attendance (COA).
- Unusual Circumstances: Requests to change a student’s dependency status.
Please note: Submitting a request does not guarantee a change to your financial aid eligibility. All requests are reviewed carefully, in line with federal regulations and college policies.
Special Circumstances
If your financial situation has changed since you filed the FAFSA, or if you have certain expenses that aren’t reflected in your current financial aid, you may be able to submit a Professional Judgement request. This process allows our office to review your situation and, if appropriate, make adjustments to your Student Aid Index (SAI) or your Cost of Attendance (COA).
When submitting a request, please:
- Describe your situation clearly
- Provide signed and dated supporting documents (unsigned paperwork cannot be reviewed)
- Submit all documents together to avoid delays
Please review the full Special Circumstances Checklist (PDF) before submitting your request to make sure you include everything required.
Reminder: Submitting a Special Circumstances request does not guarantee a change to your financial aid. All requests are reviewed carefully, in line with federal regulations and college policies.
Examples of Special Circumstances include:
- Loss of employment or reduction in work hours
- Loss of benefits (such as child support, alimony, or workers’ compensation)
- Divorce, separation, or the death of a parent or spouse after filing the FAFSA
- High out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance
You’ll need to provide documents that support your situation. Examples include:
- Job loss or reduced hours: recent pay stubs, termination letter, unemployment benefits, tax forms
- Loss of benefits: notice showing loss of child support, alimony, or other benefits, plus tax forms
- Family changes: divorce decree, separation paperwork, proof of separate addresses, or death certificate
- High medical expenses: receipts or statements showing payments, plus documentation of medical condition and costs
Unusual Circumstances
If you are unable to provide parent information on your FAFSA because of extenuating circumstances, you may qualify for a dependency override. In these cases, our office may be able to adjust your FAFSA so you are considered independent for financial aid purposes.
What to Include
There are three levels of documentation you may provide:
- Preferred Documentation: Court orders, agency records, foster care placement documentation, or legal statements from an attorney, caseworker, or other official source.
- Secondary Documentation (if preferred is not available): One signed statement from a non-family member or friend who knows your situation and one additional signed statement from someone else who can confirm.
- Alternative Documentation (if neither preferred nor secondary is available): Two or more signed statements from friends or family members who know your situation.
- Please review the full Unusual Circumstances Checklist (PDF) before submitting your request to make sure you include everything required.
When submitting a request:
- Share any information you are able to provide to help us better understand your current situation.
- Provide signed and dated documentation (unsigned paperwork cannot be reviewed)
- Submit all documents together to avoid delays
Reminder: Submitting an Unusual Circumstances request does not guarantee a change to your financial aid. All requests are reviewed carefully, in line with federal regulations and college policies.
Please note that dependency overrides are not considered for:
- Parents’ refusal to contribute to student’s education
- Parents’ unwillingness to provide information
- Parents do not claim the student for income tax purposes
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
How to Submit a Request
If you believe you qualify for a Professional Judgment review, you can submit a request online using our secure form.
When submitting your request, please:
- Review the checklist for the type of Professional Judgement you are requesting Special Circumstances | Unusual Circumstances
- Complete the request form
- Upload all required supporting documents together with the form
- Make sure every statement or letter is physically signed and dated
- Check your CGCC student email regularly for updates or requests for additional information
Processing may take 10–14 business days after all documents are received. If more information is needed, our office will contact you via your student email.
Reminder: Submitting a request does not guarantee a change to your financial aid eligibility. All requests are reviewed carefully, in line with federal regulations and college policies.
Questions or need help filling out requests? Contact us at financialaid@cgcc.edu
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
The college financial aid team will review your request and documents. If more information and/or more documentation is needed, you will receive a request for additional documents via your CGCC student email.
Reviews can take some time, especially if more information is needed. Once your request is approved or denied, the financial aid team will send a notification to your CGCC student email.
Reviews can take some time, especially if more information is needed. Once the financial aid team receives all required information and documents, the review process can take up to 10 business days. After your request is approved or denied, you will be notified via CGCC student email.
No. Federal rules state that Professional Judgment decisions are final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.
You may contact the Financial Aid Team at financialaid@cgcc.edu.