This appeal is for applicants who would like to request a review of their dependency status for financial aid consideration. Please read the following information before submitting an Unusual Circumstance Appeal. Federal regulations state that a student is considered independent for financial aid if he or she can answer yes to any one of the dependency questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). The dependency criteria are the same for both applications.
If you do not meet any of the criteria and feel your circumstances warrant review for independent status, submit this appeal, and supporting documents, to Financial Aid and Scholarships for review. Please note, that a student is not considered independent solely based on:
- self-sufficiency
- a parent's unwillingness to provide information
- a parent's unwillingness to assist with educational expenses
- a parent not claiming the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
If you have read the above and wish to submit an Unusual Circumstance Appeal, please use one of the following sets of instructions below.
California Dream Act Application (CADAA) Filers
CADAA applicants can follow these steps to file an Unusual Circumstances Appeal:
- Download the appeal form:
- Complete the form and gather supporting documentation.
- Submit the completed PDF and supporting documentation through Contact An Expert.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Filers
StudentForms allows FAFSA filers to submit documents electronically directly to UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Please review the following before continuing to StudentForms:
1. You will need to register with your student information before requesting an Unusual Circumstance Appeal. Once you are logged on, you may request the appeal by selecting the "Manage Requests" button, and then selecting Unusual Circumstance Appeal.
2. When requesting the Unusual Circumstance Appeal, you will need to enter an explanation for the request. This is not your appeal statement, so please keep your explanation brief.
3. Once you have submitted the request, you will see the documents needed before completing the appeal submission process. Please note, the Third Party Documentation you will be required to upload refers to any supporting document for your appeal (i.e. taxes, bills, additional statements, etc.). If Financial Aid and Scholarships requests additional documentation; it will also be labeled as "Third Party Documentation".
4. Once all appeal documents are uploaded, click the "Submit" button, then the "Finish" button.
If you have additional documents that need to be added to your appeal after it has been submitted, you will need to submit them via Contact An Expert.