Appeal for Reconsideration
All need-based financial aid packages are determined based upon the federal and institutional calculation of financial need.
Using the information that you provided on the FAFSA, CSS Profile, student and parent tax returns, if applicable, and other supporting documentation, we have calculated your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) and awarded financial aid to meet full calculated institutional financial need.
Financial aid professionals have flexibility in adjusting a student's eligibility for financial aid due to special or unusual circumstances using professional judgment.
- Special circumstances include a loss of income, change in family size or additional expenses due to a student's disability.
- Unusual circumstances most often require an adjustment to a student's dependency status and the information they provide on their FAFSA form based on a unique situation, such as being homeless or foster youth.
We recognize that a family's income is not always consistent and that financial situations change throughout the academic year due to unforeseen circumstances. If you or your family have experienced a change in your financial circumstances since filing the FAFSA and Profile, you may request reconsideration of your need-based financial aid decision.
Early Decision students must submit appeals for institutional scholarship by March 1 and Regular Decision students by April 15. (Appeals received after these dates will still be considered for federal and state funding; consideration for institutional scholarship will depend upon the timing of the change in circumstances as well as funding availability.) There is no specific deadline for returning students. Requests for reconsideration are considered on a first come, first served basis.
Please note that submission of an appeal does not grant an extension of the bill due date. All student accounts must be paid in full by the stated due dates even if an appeal is in process. If you have any questions regarding the appeal process, or would like to discuss payment plans, private loans or other bill payment options while waiting on an appeal response, please contact us at 781-736-3700.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We encourage you to contact your financial aid advisor to discuss any special circumstances that may qualify for reconsideration of your financial aid package. Items that may qualify for consideration are a change in parent employment status, income changes due to the COVID-19, unreimbursed medical expenses, non-recurring income sources and support of elderly parents, to name a few.
Your financial aid advisor will let you know whether these circumstances are sufficient to warrant an increase in your financial aid package and will let you know what documentation will be required to re-review your financial aid eligibility.
We cannot reconsider merit scholarship decisions or appeals based on credit card debt, car or mortgage payments, wedding/celebration expenses, private school costs, vacations or other discretionary expenses.
Please note that submission of an appeal does not grant an extension of the bill due date. All student accounts must be paid in full by the stated due dates even if an appeal is in process. If you have any questions regarding the appeal process or would like to discuss payment plans, private loans or other bill payment options while waiting on an appeal response, please contact us at (781) 736-3700.
Merit-based scholarship recipients are selected by Admissions and selection decisions are final. Scholarship terms and conditions, including award amounts, are pre-established. If you were not selected for a merit award at the time of admission, or were selected and believe you need additional financial assistance, we encourage you to explore need-based financial aid.
If you or your family have experienced a change in financial circumstances since filing the FAFSA and CSS Profile, you may request reconsideration of your need-based financial aid package by submitting the following required documents to the Office of Student Financial Services:
- Financial Aid Appeal Worksheet (2023-24 pdf) with indicated documentation
- Letter of explanation of special circumstance
- A complete and signed (even if e-filed) copy of your and your parent(s)' 2021 U.S. federal income tax return, as submitted to the IRS, with all pages, schedules and W-2s.
These documents can be submitted by email, secure upload to DEISConnect (applicants) or the current student document portal.
Once the Appeal Committee reviews the submitted documentation, your financial aid counselor will notify you of the decision by email. Response time may vary based on the volume of appeals at the time you submit your request, however, you will typically receive a status update within five to 10 business days.
To ensure consideration for the academic year starting in August, Early Decision students must submit appeals by March 1 and Regular Decision students by April 15. (Appeals received after these dates will still be considered for federal and state funding; consideration for institutional scholarship will depend upon the timing of the change in circumstances as well as funding availability.) There is no specific deadline for returning students. Appeals are considered on a first come, first served basis so it is in your best interest to submit a request for reconsideration as early as possible.
If your family experiences a change in financial circumstances after these dates, including financial impacts due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, you may still submit a request for reconsideration past the deadline. In this case, you should submit an appeal as soon as possible after the change occurs.
The outcome will depend on several factors, including the nature of the special circumstances you document and the documentation that you provide. If your request is approved, additional need-based grant/scholarship, loan, work-study, or a combination of these, could be offered. Additional grant/scholarship funds can only be offered if you have taken advantage of all other sources of financial aid (e.g., federal and state grants, subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans, etc.) awarded to meet your full calculated need.
Brandeis does not match need-based or merit-based awards offered by other colleges.