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Financial Aid Appeals

There are times when students experience changes in their financial, academic, or life circumstances that impact their ability to pay for college. The Office of Financial Aid offers several appeal options to assist with these changes.

The Appeal Committee meets weekly to discuss and review appeal requests. An appeal review may result in no change to the award, or it may result in the addition of institutional, state, and/or federal aid.  Students will be notified via their North Central College email regarding the Appeal Committee’s decision.  All decisions are final and appeals will only be reconsidered if new information is submitted.

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Types of Appeal Forms

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Special Circumstances

The Special Circumstances Form is available for families who have experienced changes in their financial circumstances that may not be accurately reflected on the FAFSA. If your request creates a change in your financial aid eligibility, our office will update FAFSA data elements to reflect those circumstances. Before your request can be considered, a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be on file with North Central College. Please review the form for required documentation. 

Important: Students are responsible for billing while forms are being reviewed and processed. 

2025-26 Form

Examples of a change in financial circumstances include:

  • Death of a Parent/Spouse
  • Divorce or Legal Separation of a Parent or Spouse
  • Medical/Dental Expenses paid in the FAFSA year – Cannot include insurance premiums or unpaid expenses.
  • Change in Income – Income changes or untaxed child support
  • Elementary/Secondary Education Expenses for Siblings
  • College or University Education Expenses for Siblings
  • Other – not covered elsewhere on the form

Unusual Circumstances

Federal financial aid regulations assume that the family (student and parent) have primary responsibility for student educational costs. In certain instances, the federal government allows a student to appeal to have their parent responsibility removed. 

2025-26 Form

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Cost of Attendance

The Office of Financial Aid uses a standard cost of attendance (COA) or “budget” for the academic year to determine maximum aid eligibility. The cost of attendance appeal process reviews certain educational costs students may incur, which are either not included or exceed the amounts in the standard financial aid cost of attendance.

2025-26 Form

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For Continuing Students Only:

Request for Additional Assistance

We understand that some financial circumstances cannot be described in numbers alone. This appeal process was created to allow students the opportunity to request additional assistance not already demonstrated with our merit and need-based programs. Completing this form does not guarantee additional assistance, as funding is limited, but we do evaluate each request carefully and equitably.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

The United States Department of Education requires institutions of higher education to establish minimum standards of "satisfactory academic progress" for students receiving federally funded financial aid. North Central College also applies these same standards of academic progress to the recipients of the Monetary Award Program (MAP) from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and to the recipients of scholarships, grants, and loans awarded or administered by the Office of Financial Aid at North Central College. 

Please use this form if you did not meet the minimum requirements to keep Satisfactory Academic Progress, and are not currently eligible for any federal, state, or institutional financial aid. Note: Submitting an appeal does not guarantee approval or reinstatement of your financial aid.

Request for Additional Semesters of Aid

Please complete this form to request an additional semester of need-based financial aid. Undergraduate students who began North Central College as a first-year are eligible for 8 semesters of aid; transfer students are eligible for 6 semesters of aid.