Special Circumstances
We hope in reviewing your financial aid awards you feel that a Mercer education is affordable and within your family’s means. We understand however that certain situations may arise that are not reflected in your FAFSA and that may impact your family’s ability to afford the calculated expected family contribution (EFC). If your family has experienced an extenuating, life-altering event or special circumstance which impacts your ability to pay for college, you have the right to submit an appeal to our office. Appeals are given a thoughtful and thorough review by the Appeals Committee.
Special circumstances we may consider:
- COVID related expenses
- Loss of employment or income
- Loss of Untaxed Benefits
- Separation or Divorce (parents for dependent students)
- Death of Spouse
- Death of Parent (dependent students)
- Significant medical expenses
- Disability-related expenses
- Computer Expenses (automatically approved for COA increase) (limited to one per program of study)
- Dependent Care Expenses (automatically approved for COA increase)
This is not an exhaustive list.
Each appeal will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and final decisions will be based on the details of each unique situation. Be sure to include ample supporting documentation for the Appeals Committee to review. Approval is not guaranteed, and in some cases, approval may not result in an increase in aid. The Appeals Committee reserves the right to postpone review until an appropriate amount of time has passed for certain circumstances. We ask that you review your original financial aid estimate before submitting an appeal to our office.
Please download the appropriate appeal form for your circumstance and return the completed form with supporting documentation to the Student Financial Planning Office.
