Appealing for Reinstatement of Financial Aid
All students not meeting SAP requirements receive an email to their CSUF email. The email provides the reason why the student is terminated from financial aid and link(s) to download the SAP Appeal form if the student wishes to appeal. Students can appeal for extenuating circumstances that prevented them from meeting the SAP requirement. Examples of extenuating circumstances are illness, hospitalization, death in the family, or other circumstances that interfered with the student meeting SAP. Students must also include a statement indicating what has changed and how they will be able to meet SAP requirements by the next evaluation period.
What if a student did not meet SAP due to qualitative and quantitative reasons? Students who do not meet both qualitative and quantitative are required to complete both appeals, as the links to both forms will be on the student's email.
What happens after an appeal is reviewed? Students will be notified via email whether the appeal has been approved or denied. SAP for students with approved appeals will be monitored at the end of the semester (end of fall for fall approved appeals or end of spring for spring approved appeals). Students whose appeals have been denied will be monitored at year end SAP (the end of spring) and will be reinstated if they meet the SAP standards.
Appeal Process
Follow the steps below to provide a successful SAP appeal to the Office of Financial Aid.
- Be aware of key deadlines, including cancellation, disenrollment, tuition/fee refund dates, and SAP Appeal deadline etc.
- Type Your Appeal statement: Your letter of explanation should include the exceptional circumstances that prevented you from meeting financial aid SAP requirements and steps you have taken to ensure your academic success. If you did not meet the requirements of your prior SAP appeal and would like to be reconsidered for financial aid, your new letter of explanation must include a detailed statement explaining why the steps you outlined in the prior appeal did not work.
- Give Examples: In your letter, include changes you will make and/or resources you will use to ensure your future academic success (e.g. EOP advising, counseling, tutoring, reduce work hours, etc.). Include an explanation of what has changed in your circumstances that will enable you to meet SAP.
- Gather Documentation's (Provide Copies): Include documentation to support your letter of explanation (e.g. medical documentation, pay check stubs, transcripts, etc.).
- Meeting with an Adviser (Academic or Financial Aid) Recommended: Meet with an adviser if you have concerns and need additional help and guidance.
- Additional documentation maybe requested by the committee members before a decision is rendered.Submitting Appeal on time: Submit your completed appeal form with your personal typed letter and documentation to the Office of Financial Aid. Double check your appeal to make sure everything you want to inform and provide to the committee is there before submitting it. To view all forms of submission, visit Appeals & Forms.
- Prepare a Backup Plan: If your appeal is not approved, you may need to seek alternative enrollment options or sources of funding.
- Expect approximately to wait 4 to 6 weeks for your appeal to be reviewed. You will be notified of the committee’s decision via email.
Submitting the SAP Appeal
StudentForms allows you to submit documents electronically to CSUF, Office of Financial Aid.
Please review the following steps before continuing to StudentForms
1. You will need to register with your student information before requesting a SAP Appeal. Once you are logged on, you may request the appeal by selecting the "Manage Requests" button.
2. When requesting a SAP Appeal, please specify the term, and SAP standard(s), you are appealing. Review SAP standard(s) in your letter regarding your Academic Progress.
3. Once you have submitted the request, you will see the documents needed before completing the appeal submission process. Please be prepared to complete the following:
a. SAP Appeal web form that includes a statement*
b. Third Party Documentation supporting the circumstance noted in the statement*
After the CSUF, Office of Financial Aid reviews the appeal, additional documentation may be requested. This additional request will also be labeled as "Third Party Documentation."
4. Once all appeal documents are uploaded, click the "Submit" button, then the "Finish" button. General processing time is between 2 to 4 weeks, but may take up to 6 weeks.
Submit a SAP Appeal in StudentForms
Reviewing your Appeal
- Make sure you understand what successful completion means and the numbers of units you must complete each semester to maintain you financial eligibility.
- If you are approved and considering a change in your course load, discuss your academic plan options with both your academic adviser(s) and a financial aid counselor prior to making any adjustments to your schedule.
- Read your approved SAP Appeal to make sure you are following any approval requirements to maintain financial aid for the academic year you submitted your appeal.
- By signing and submitting the SAP appeal form you acknowledge your understanding of the basic requirement on that form, including any additional requirement from your approved SAP appeal.
Recommended Deadline for Submission for on time processing
Appeals received after the term ends cannot be considered for financial aid award or reinstatement.
- Fall Semester - November 15
- Spring Semester - April 10
- Summer Term - July 5