We understand that a financial aid application cannot account for everything going on in a family’s financial situation. When events happen after a financial aid application, or when something is not on a financial aid application, please communicate those to the St. Olaf Financial Aid Office. We have added information for domestic students on of what is already accounted for for your original application, and how to appeal your financial aid.
Financial Aid Appeal
What is a Financial Aid Appeal?
A financial aid appeal is when there has been change to a family’s financial situation or if there is additional information/nuance that would be beneficial for the Financial Aid Office to take into consideration.
What Happens When I Appeal? Financial aid appeals will not result in the decrease of financial aid for the school year that is being appealed.
The Financial Aid Office, all once documents have been submitted, will not be shared outside the office. All documents are securely maintained, and only accessible with the financial aid counselors. The Financial Aid Office will meet together as a committee on any appeals and steps forward.
Can I Appeal Merit Aid? Current students are not eligible for a review of merit under any circumstances
Yes, for admitted students. However, this process goes through the Admissions Office. Please know that changes are very rare and will be due to significant academic changes since you submitted your application.
Can I Appeal Need-Based Aid?
Yes. The St. Olaf Financial Aid Office is happy to talk to families anytime there has been a significant change in the family’s financial circumstances/context.
When Will I Know If My Request Was Approved?? Circumstances already considered in your Financial Aid What Qualifies as a Special Circumstance? What Doesn't Qualify as a Special Circumstance Note: It is our expectation that families will use all financial aid resources available to them to finance the estimated bill including student employment earnings, student loans, current salary, savings, investments and payment plans. Special Consideration for Income Reduction or Job Loss How to Submit an Appeal Please submit all Special Circumstance documentation through our secure upload portal Appeals generally take five to ten business days for processing, and this time frame may change depending on the volume of appeals we receive. Please wait to hear back before checking in regarding the status of your appeal.
You should expect to hear from us within approximately five – ten business days after you have submitted your request with appropriate documentation. We will be sure to reach out if we have any further questions.
Special Circumstance
The following circumstances are automatically considered when evaluating your financial aid:
The following may qualify as a special circumstance:
Note: we will only consider parental educational debt that is currently in repayment, documented, and for students (parents and/or siblings) who are no longer enrolled
Note: If this is the case, please see the section below on “Special Considerations for Income Reductions or Job Loss”
When determining financial aid eligibility, the following are not and will not be considered in our analysis, and therefore would not qualify as special circumstances:
For the 2025-26 academic year, the main financial year we are using is the 2023 tax year. If there have been significant changes to your earnings since 2023, please submit your 2024 taxes. See how to submit them in How to Submit an Appeal
In order to submit an appeal, please complete our Special Circumstances Request Form for the correct financial aid year. All current financial aid year forms can be found on our website. Here you will find detailed instructions on our appeal process, required documentation and timelines.
Unusual Circumstance
What Qualifies as an Unusual Circumstance?
Unusual circumstances, as defined by the FAFSA Simplification Act, refer to conditions that may warrant a change to your dependency status when completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The following may qualify as an unusual circumstance:
What Doesn't Qualify as an Unusual Circumstance?
Unusual circumstances do not typically include:
How do I Submit an Appeal for an Unusual Circumstance? Please submit all Unusual Circumstance documentation through our secure upload portal
To be considered for an unusual circumstance you must complete the following:
When Will I Know If My Request Was Approved??
You should expect to hear from us within approximately five to ten business days after you have submitted your request with appropriate documentation. We will be sure to reach out if we have any further questions.