Changes in Your Financial Situation

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines your financial aid eligibility using income information from two years prior to the start of the school year. This is to ensure that income information is available to a student when the FAFSA application process opens each year, and allows them to submit the application as soon as possible. However, we know that circumstances can change.

If you and/or your parents have experienced a decrease in income or a major financial change, we can review your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) eligibility to see if the change in circumstance would result in a change to your financial aid eligibility.  Below are a few examples of situations that may affect your financial aid:

• Loss of employment (typically a minimum 10-week loss)
• Reduction of wages
• Death of a parent or spouse
• Divorce or separation
• Loss of benefit (child support, worker’s compensation, alimony)
• One-time/non-recurring income

If you think you may qualify for a change in circumstance, please email FinancialAid@IllinoisState.edu with the details of the change and include the following:

• Full name
• University ID (UID)
• Nature of the change in family income
• Date the change in income occurred

Listen to a short tutorial about the process.

Once reviewed, a financial aid counselor will contact you regarding additional documentation required to review your FAFSA eligibility.