Students with documented “Special Circumstances” that negatively affected you or your family’s financial situation may be eligible for additional financial aid funds. For example, because of COVID-19 some employers had to shut down, reduce work hours, furlough employees and others may not have been able to work due to illness.

SUNY Brockport’s Financial Aid Office will be able to review your situation and possibly adjust the amount of your financial aid package due to you or your family having experienced one of the following reasons:

  • Loss of job or permanent/indefinite reduction of work hours
  • Separation or divorce
  • Personal bankruptcy that occurs during the current financial aid year
  • Death of a parent
  • Reduction/loss of child support
  • High medical expense not covered by insurance
  • One time distribution from a pension/retirement plan to help cover expenses
  • Other documented special circumstances outside of the student’s control

Special Circumstance Appeals

If you would like to apply for a Special Circumstance Appeal, please go to our forms center and select from the forms at the bottom of the page: either Dependent Appeal Form for Additional Financial Assistance 2021-22 OR Independent Appeal Form for Additional Financial Assistance 2021-22.

Please remember that appropriate supporting documentation is required to be submitted with the appeal form. You may mail, fax, email, or drop off your completed Special Circumstance form along with all the required to the Financial Aid Office.

Although Federal financial aid appeal decisions (Special Circumstances) are at the discretion of the campus and are based on guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education, all appeals are completed on a case-by-case basis and all decisions are final. Not all appeals will result in additional funding.