Forms & Appeals

Students will be notified via campus email to check their student portal when documents and additional information is needed. It is recommended that you check your campus email and student portal regularly to ensure that your file is completed and ready for review in a timely manner. Below are some additional information about forms & appeals.

Important Note:

  • Financial aid verification document submission priority deadline is Thursday, April 27, 2023.

  • Carefully read the instructions on all forms & appeals before completing and submitting them to the Office of Financial Aid. Your application will be delayed if you fail to follow instructions or submit incomplete forms.

  • PDF format: most forms are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and require Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher to view and print (download Adobe Acrobat ReaderOpens in new window ).

  • Income Appeal processing time is at least 8 weeks.

Frequently Asked QuestionsPDF File Opens in new window

 

 

  Video Tutorial: "To Do List" Documents

Document Submission & VERIFICATION

Sometimes additional documentation(s) and form(s) are required to complete your application, this process is called verification. If you have been selected for a process called verification we will request that you submit additional documentation as soon as possible. Scroll down to Document Submission FAQs to learn more about Document Submission and Verification. 

 

Financial aid verification document submission priority deadline is Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Secure Electronic Document Submission PlatformOpens in new window

2022-2023 General and Appeal Forms

The forms below are the most commonly requested forms. If you do not see the one you need or if you have difficulty downloading or printing a form, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

 

Income Appeal Information (Parent and Student)

  • For 2022-2023 academic year, if there has been a significant reduction to your (student or parent) income from what was reported on the FAFSA or CDA applications, please call our office at (657) 278-3125. Our staff can help determine if a Income Appeal is right for your situation and possibly set you up to speak to one of our Financial Aid Counselors by scheduling a future phone call or zoom appointment. Based on your circumstances, the counselor will provide the appropriate form for this income appeal.  Income Appeal processing time is at least 8 weeks.

    • In preparation for your meeting, please prepare a typed statement explaining your circumstances, any documentation relevant to your case, including tax forms that show the reduction in income. The counselor may request additional documents.

Dependency Override AppealOpens in new window

  • Use this form to appeal for independence due to an "adverse home situation" such as parental abuse, abandonment, or irreconcilable estrangement from your parents. If your appeal is based solely on the fact that you do not live with or receive support from your parents, your appeal will be denied. It is highly advised that you meet with a financial aid counselor about your situation prior to submitting this appeal.

Dependency Override RenewalOpens in new window

  • Use this form to renew a dependency override appeal that was approved in a previous academic year. Independent status must be examined every academic year. If your situation requires special handling because of your continued claim of independent status, you must complete this form in order for our office to determine your dependency status for the current academic year.

Federal Direct Loan RequestOpens in new window  

  • Use this form to request federal direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans for the current academic year.

Parent Plus LoanOpens in new window

Graduate Plus LoanOpens in new window

  • Use this form if you   (graduate student) applied for a Graduate Plus Loan at www.studentaid.gov 

Teach Grant CertificationOpens in new window

  • The form is use for students' who are participating in the Teach Program and have completed the requirements to apply for a Teach Grant.

Private Education Loan Applicant Self-CertificationPDF File Opens in new window

  • Important information to know before you borrow: Free or lower-cost Title IV federal, state, or school student financial aid may be available in place of, or in addition to, a private education loan. To ensure you are aware of your options, the federal government requires that you submit a completed Loan Applicant Self-Certification before the lender of your private loan can disburse the loan.

Unit Cap AppealOpens in new window

  • Use this form to request an extension of financial aid eligibility beyond the standard “unit cap” for your academic program if you have been notified that your eligibility has been or is about to be terminated. See form for complete instructions.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal

  • Use this form to request an exception to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy if your eligibility for financial aid has been terminated or to have your SAP re-evaluated for units earned at another institution.  See form for complete instructions.

Award Adjustment AppealOpens in new window

  • Use this form to make adjustments to your awards such as: cancellation or reduction of aid, changes in award period, grade level, or academic program, or reinstatement of aid. See form for complete instructions.

REQUEST TO CANCEL FINANCIAL AIDOpens in new window

  • Use this form to request full cancellation of your financial aid application for the academic year.

Budget AppealOpens in new window

  • Use this form if you have additional expenses that is beyond the standard budget given to you based on your financial aid application.

Parent Statement of Non-SupportOpens in new window

  • Use this form if your parents decides to not provide you with their information on your financial aid application.

2023 SUMMER LOAN REQUESTPDF File Opens in new window

  • Use this form if you need to request a loan for the summer term. Be sure to review your academic year loan limit.

Fall '23 Term Concurrent Enrollment - Available Fall 2023

  • Use this form if you are taking additional units at a community college and would like those units to be transferred to CSUF.

SPRING '23 TERM CONCURRENT ENROLLMENTOpens in new window

  • Use this form if you are taking additional units at a community college and would like those units to be transferred to CSUF.  Will begin accepting on Census date for spring '23 term: February 21st, 2023.

Housing UpdateOpens in new window

  • Use this form if you had a change in your housing.

CHAFEE STUDENT SUCCESS PLAN Opens in new window

  • Use this form if you do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and would like to appeal for your Chafee Grant.

GOLDEN STATE TEACHER GRANT Opens in new window

  • Use this form to review and certify your eligibility for the Golden State Teacher Grant.

Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.0 or higher is required in order to read and print PDF forms.

2021-2022 General and Appeal Forms

The forms shown below are the most commonly requested forms. If you don't see the one you need or if you have difficulty downloading or printing a form, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

2022 SUMMER LOAN REQUEST

  • Use this form if you need to request a loan for the summer term.  Be sure to review your academic year loan limit.  Here are instructions for e-signing the Summer Loan Request form.

PROJECTED YEAR INCOME APPEAL INFORMATION (PARENT AND STUDENT)

  • If there has been a significant reduction to your (student or parent) income from what was reported on the FAFSA or CDA applications, call us at 657-278-3125 to speak to one of our Financial Aid Representatives during phone hours to schedule an appointment with a counselor to discuss the possibility of a Projected Year Income Appeal.  
    • In preparation for your meeting, have a typed statement explaining your circumstances, any documentation relevant to your case, including tax forms that show the reduction in income. The counselor may request additional documents.

DEPENDENCY OVERRIDE APPEALPDF File

  • Use this form to appeal for independence due to an "adverse home situation" such as parental abuse, abandonment, or irreconcilable estrangement from your parents. If your appeal is based solely on the fact that you do not live with or receive support from your parents, your appeal will be denied. It is highly advised that you meet with a financial aid counselor about your situation prior to submitting this appeal.

DEPENDENCY OVERRIDE RENEWALPDF File

  • Use this form to renew a dependency override appeal that was approved in a previous academic year. Independent status must be examined every academic year. If your situation requires special handling because of your continued claim of independent status, you must complete this form in order for our office to determine your dependency status for the current academic year.

PARENT PLUS LOANPDF File

GRADUATE PLUS LOANPDF File

  • Use this form if you   (graduate student) applied for a Graduate Plus Loan at   www.studentloans.gov

TEACH GRANT CERTIFICATIONPDF File

  • The form is use for students' who are participating in the Teach Program and have completed the requirements to apply for a Teach Grant.

PRIVATE EDUCATION LOAN APPLICANT SELF-CERTIFICATIONPDF File

  • Important information to know before you borrow: Free or lower-cost Title IV federal, state, or school student financial aid may be available in place of, or in addition to, a private education loan. To ensure you are aware of your options, the federal government requires that you submit a completed Loan Applicant Self-Certification before the lender of your private loan can disburse the loan.

UNIT CAP APPEAL FORMPDF File

  • Use this form to request an extension of financial aid eligibility beyond the standard “unit cap” for your academic program if you have been notified that your eligibility has been or is about to be terminated. See form for complete instructions.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS APPEAL FORMPDF File

  • Use this form to request an exception to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy if your eligibility for financial aid has been terminated.  You may also use this form to appeal to request a SAP re-calculation with additional units earned.  See form for complete instructions.

AWARD ADJUSTMENT APPEALPDF File

  • Use this form to make adjustments to your awards such as: cancellation or reduction of aid, changes in award period, grade level, or academic program, or reinstatement of aid. See form for complete instructions.

REQUEST TO CANCEL FINANCIAL AIDPDF File

  • Use this form to request full cancellation of your financial aid application for the academic year.

BUDGET APPEALPDF File

  • Use this form if you have additional expenses that is beyond the standard budget given to you based on your financial aid application.

PARENT STATEMENT OF NON-SUPPORTPDF File

  • Use this form if your parents decides to not provide you with their information on your financial aid application.

Housing UpdatePDF File

  • Use this form if you had a change in your housing.

Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.0 or higher is required in order to read and print PDF forms.

Appeals and Processing

We understand that there may be circumstances that impact your ability to pay for college, and these may not always be clear in your initial financial aid applications.

Reasons for an appeal:

  • Change in income since the application was filed -- you or your parent.
  • Additional educational expenses that have not been included in your financial aid budget.
  • Change in your housing plan. 

 

Adjustments to the Following May Occur if Your Appeal is Approved

  • Changes to Income
  • On-time Educational Cost
  • Housing Changes
  • Changes in Dependency Status
  • Award Adjustment (Although all awards are subjected to availability of funds)

 

Important Note

Please inform our office of your "Special Circumstances" as soon as possible to make sure you receive the best financial aid package possible in a timely manner.

DEADLINE:

Please refer to the appeal form for deadline dates.  Funding for some awards may be limited so try to submit your appeal as early as possible.

EVALUATION PROCESS:

  • Appeals are typically reviewed in 6-8 weeks.
    • During busy processing times (such as the summer), it may take longer for your appeal to be evaluated.
  • Once the review is completed,
    • If your appeal is approved, you will receive a revised financial aid notification via email and typically an appeal follow up form via US Mail.
    • If your appeal is denied, you will receive an appeal follow up form to notify you of the reason(s) for the denial.

Types and Reasons for Appealing

 

Projected Year Income Appeal (PRJP & PRJS)

Financial Aid applications use tax information from the prior tax year. This appeal form is used to document changes in income from one tax year to the next tax year. This may be the result of loss of income or employment, separation or divorce, death of a parent. Forms can be downloaded online but must be submitted in person after meeting with a Financial Aid counselor. Forms with insufficient documentation will not be accepted, make sure all requested items are included prior to submission. If you are appealing a change in business income you will need to wait to file your appeal until after the next tax year has completed and you are able to obtain a tax transcript. Additionally if your appeal is initially denied you may be able to provide a copy of the next tax year's tax transcript to see if the final income information is different then projected.

Please note: Appeal forms for the next academic year are typically released in July.

 

Student Budget or Additional Expenses Appeal (BGAP)

In some cases, the unusual expenses you incur during an academic year may be considered in determining the amount of your financial aid eligibility. The Office of Financial Aid will evaluate your expenses and may make changes to your financial aid awards. Documentation must provided before expenses are incurred during the academic year, see form for specific dates.

Examples of additional expenses include: Medical, Dental, or Vision Care Expenses; Car Repair Expenses; Excessive Mileage; Child Care; Books and Supplies in Excess of Standard; and/or One-Time Computer Expense.

Appeals must include receipts, billing statements, or other forms of documentation that can verify the expense incurred.

 

Changes in Housing Plan (HPLN)

You may have listed a specific housing plan on your financial aid application and now your plans have changed. You can use this form to update your housing plan which may result in modified financial aid eligibility.

 

Award Adjustment Appeal (AWAP)

This appeal is used to change accepted forms of financial aid such as a student loan, PLUS loan, Private loan, or Federal Work-Study. You can indicate on the form if you would like the whole award canceled or a portion of the award. If the award has already been disbursed to your campus account and a refund has been issued you may incur a balance on your account. We can not cancel your full FWS award if you have already earned some of the funding. 

You can also use this form to update the office of your change in graduation date, grade level, or academic plan.

 

Dependency Override (DPOR & DORR)

On   this pageOpens in new window   we explain who must provide parent information and the concept of Dependency Status. Sometimes students who do not meet the federal criteria for independent status wish to be considered as an independent student. The dependency override appeal process allows a student with extenuating circumstances to appeal so they might be considered independent, even though they do not meet any of the independent student criteria on the financial aid applications. If your appeal is based solely on the fact that you do not live with or receive support from your parents, your appeal will be denied. It is highly advised that you meet with a financial aid counselor about your situation prior to submitting this appeal.

 

What if I don’t have special circumstances, but my parents refuse to help me pay for college and won’t provide their information?

Unfortunately, a parent’s refusal to assist a student with their college expenses is not sufficient to warrant a Dependency Override. Federal financial aid applicants who are considered a dependent student and their parents did not provide information on the FAFSA application may be eligible for Unsubsidized Loan.

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress (ASAP, AUCT, & USAP)

Students are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and are evaluated yearly, as we explain on our   SAP pageOpens in new window . If it has been determined that a student is not meeting they can appeal their SAP status. 

Document Submission Information

Sometimes additional documentation and forms are required to complete your application, this process is called verification. If you have been selected for a process called verification we will request that you submit additional documentation. 

These forms are available only through your student portal where you will find instructions describing what you need to do. Complete the forms, attach additional requested information, and provide all necessary signatures before you submit it to us. Incomplete forms will require resubmission and may cause a delay in processing your aid application. 

Below are some frequently asked questions about document submission and verification.

What is Verification?

Verification is the process used to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA is accurate. The Federal Department of Education gives CSUF the authority to contact you for documentation that supports the information you reported.

If you’re selected for verification, don’t assume you’re being accused of doing anything wrong. Students are selected at random or required to verify an element of their application. All you need to do is provide the documentation you are asked for—and be sure to do so by the deadline on your to-do list as you may experience delays in awarding or the payment of financial aid.

What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) is the fastest and most secure way that tax filers can link their application to their tax information. You no longer have to look for your personal tax information before completing the FAFSA Application. You also don't have to worry about making mistakes entering your tax information on your FAFSA. This also can waive the request for an IRS Tax Transcript for those selected for verification. Additional information about the IRS DRT and how it works with your FAFSA application can be found   hereOpens in new window .

What Happens After I Submit My Documents?

Verification documentation and additional requested documentation that is submitted correctly is processed / scanned as “complete”.  Upon scanning of all requested verification documentation the student application will then go into review to determine financial aid eligibility.  Once a student’s “complete” documentation is scanned, within the week of the scanning the documentation will be removed from the student’s To-Do List. 

What Does it mean when My To-Do List Says a Document is Returned?

Verification documentation & additional requested documentation that is submitted incorrectly is processed / scanned as “returned”.   For student privacy and security reasons, no incomplete documentation is ever physically returned to the student; the “return” status on the documentation is to signify that submitted documentation is incomplete and will need to be resubmitted correctly.  A student’s financial aid eligibility will not be reviewed until all requested documentation is submitted correctly.  If a student’s documents are submitted incorrectly then the student will receive a campus email correspondence from our office about the requirement of the resubmission of the requested documentation.

What if I made a Mistake on my Documents?

Documentation determined to be submitted as incorrect will require the student to resubmit requested documentation correctly to the  Office of Financial Aid.  When Documentation is submitted incorrectly the student is notified by the Office of Financial Aid through their campus email address.

When a student has an inquiry as to why their documentation was incorrect, they can seek advisement from the Office of Financial Aid staff in person at Gordon Hall (GH) 146 or by phone staff by calling (657) 278-3125.

HOW DO I SUBMIT DOCUMENTS?

Documentation can be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid in the following ways.

 

NEW! Secure financial aid document submission platform

Our new secure document submission platform allows you to submit your Financial Aid "To-Do List" items faster and more efficient than ever! The  secure document submission platformOpens in new window is easily accessible and convenient. 

 

Office Dropbox

The Office of Financial Aid has a secured dropbox that is accessible 24 hours a day and is located outside near the main entrance to our office. If you will be submitting documents in the drop box make sure you put your ID number on all documents. Securing the documents with a staple or by putting them in an envelope is ideal as all items will remain together ensuring your checklist is cleared efficiently. 

 

Mail

Documentation received via mail will be date stamped by the date mailed documentation is received by the CSUF Office of Financial Aid.  Documentation submitted via mailing will then be verified for completeness by CSUF Financial Aid staff, if documentation is determined to be incomplete the student will be required to resubmit requested documentation.  This is important to keep in mind when attempting to submit requested documentation before any document deadlines.

Documentation can be mailed to the following address:

 

Office of Financial Aid
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 6804, GH 146
Fullerton, CA 92834-6804

 

Fax

Documentation can be submitted via FAX at (657) 278-7090

If documents submitted via fax are illegible or missing pages, that may delay the review of the student's information.  Please allow a minimum of 5 days for the document status to be updated during peak processing times.