Financial Aid Appeals
To be considered for an appeal at Guttman for any of the categories listed, you must meet the criteria outlined for that specific type of appeal and provide adequate supporting documentation as indicated. Once you have submitted all the required documentation to the Office of Financial Aid, a final determination will be made within 10-14 business days. If additional information is required to proceed with your appeal, that information will be communicated to you via email.
Note: The Office of Financial Aid at Guttman Community College recognizes the need for students and their families to appeal for consideration of applicable special circumstances; however, please note that submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval. A committee will review the appeal and inform the student of a final determination.
Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal
All Guttman Community College students who receive Federal Financial Aid (Title IV – for example: Pell, SEOG, Federal Work Study, Direct Loans) must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) according to the CUNY SAP policy. Meeting SAP standards is required in order to maintain financial aid eligibility. Failure to maintain SAP will result in the loss of future eligibility for federal Student Aid. Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated annually at the end of the Spring II session.
SAP Appeal Submission on Student Forms
Students who fail to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements have the right to appeal reinstating their federal aid. An appeal provides an opportunity for a student to demonstrate that their failure to meet the GPA and/or credit requirements was due to extenuating circumstances. Example for such circumstances include but are not limited to medical reasons, death of an immediate family member, change in employment, or a significant trauma in a student’s life. Information required to be submitted for the SAP Appeal:
- Academic Success Plan
- Student’s Signed Personal Statement
- Supporting Documentation
Securely submit your SAP appeal on Student Forms. (See step-by-step instructions.)
- Complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA
• It may take 3-5 business days for Guttman to receive your FAFSA. You will not be able to submit an appeal on Student Forms if you do not have a 2024-2025 FAFSA on file with Guttman.
- Log into CUNYfirst
• Click on “Student Center,” then select “Tasks and Holds” to view your “To Do List.” Click on the “Finaid Academic Progress Issue” item detail link for instructions on how to access Student Formsto submit your SAP appeal. - First-Time Users Only:
• If you are a first-time user of Student Forms, you will be required to complete the registration process. First-time users:– Go to cuny-ncc.verifymyfafsa.com.
– Complete your two-step security confirmation by providing either your e-mail or phone number. Next, enter the code you received via your chosen method (email or SMS text).
– Confirm your personal identifying information exactly as you reported on your FAFSA.• Once completed, you will have access to Student Forms
Note: If you have previously claimed your Student Forms account, skip Step #3 and go directly to Step #4. - Complete Your SAP Appeal Tasks on Student Forms:
Academic Success Plan
- Upload a copy of your Academic Success Plan developed with your academic advisor.
- Your Academic Success Plan can be found on DegreeWorks. Access DegreeWorks at https://degreeworks.cuny.edu and use your CUNYfirst login credentials.
Note: Failure to meet the conditions of your Academic Success Plan will result in the suspension of your federal student aid for the subsequent term. If you have any questions regarding your Academic Success Plan, please contact your Academic Advisor.
SAP Appeal Statement
- Submit a signed personal statement explaining the following:
- Extenuating circumstances that caused you to fail meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.
- What has changed that will enable you to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements at the next evaluation.
- The steps you will take to ensure you continue to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in the future.
Supporting Documentation:
- You must provide supporting documentation to substantiate the circumstances listed in your signed personal statement; your supporting documentation must relate to the circumstances you listed. The documentation must also reflect the timeframe in which your academic performance was impacted due to your extenuating circumstances. Examples of supporting documentation include but are not limited to:
- Evidence of personal illness involving hospitalization or extended confinement;
- Evidence of death (copy of death certificate) of an immediate family member’
- Proof that you were the primary caretaker of an ailing immediate family member requiring your absence from classes for an extended period of time;
- Evidence of an emotionally disabling condition that prevented you from completing your coursework;
- Statements from social workers, physicians, or other medical professionals;
- Evidence (deployment orders/official documentation) of military duty, involvement with agencies or government, incarceration, or similar reasons that prevented you from completing your coursework;
- Evidence of financial hardship which result in increased hours worked for an extended period of time (paystubs, work schedule, or statement from employer);
- Evidence of any other extenuating circumstances not listed above (with supporting documentation).
Note: Failure to submit your SAP appeal by the deadline date(s) indicated below will result in forfeiting federal student aid eligibility for the term in question.
| Enrollment by Session | SAP Appeal Submission Deadline |
|---|---|
| If enrolled in Fall 2024 Session I only | Friday, November 25th, 2024 |
| If enrolled in Fall 2024 Session I and II (or Session II only) | Tuesday, February 10th, 2025 |
| If enrolled in Spring 2025 Session I only | Friday, May 27th, 2025 |
| If enrolled in Spring 2025 Session I and II (or Session II only) | Monday, July 14th, 2025 |
Note: Do not email documents containing Personally Identifiable Information (such as a social security number; name, date of birth…); you can securely submit your appeal on Student Forms: cuny-ncc.verifymyfafsa.com.
You will receive an email notification confirming that you have successfully completed all the tasks required for your SAP appeal. Please allow 10-14 business days for the SAP Appeal Committee to review your appeal. You may receive communication requesting additional documentation; be sure to respond promptly and upload newly requested information to avoid any delays in processing your appeal. Once the committee has received all required documentation, you will receive a final determination notification via the email you used to register your Student Forms account. Failure to submit all the required information listed above will result in your appeal being denied and you will not be eligible to receive federal student aid for the term in question.
Note: Submission of a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal does not guarantee approval. You are responsible for your tuition and fees charges regardless of the outcome of the SAP appeal.
Unusual Circumstance Appeal
Federal law allows financial aid administrators to use their discretionary authority to exercise professional judgment on a case-by-case basis to adjust students’ dependency status on the FAFSA based on their documented circumstances.
The Unusual Circumstance appeal is applicable to students who are considered dependent students as per federal guidelines but are unable to provide parental information. Such students may be experiencing a severe family situation that prevents them from obtaining the required parental information.
Examples of applicable circumstances warranting consideration for this appeal include:
- Parental abandonment or estrangement
- Physical or emotional abuse
- Parental substance abuse
- Parental incarceration
- Or another such situation beyond the student’s control
For an Unusual Circumstance appeal, the student must be able to document a complete breakdown of the relationship with both parents.
Examples of circumstances that are not applicable to this appeal:
- Student does not live with the parent(s);
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency;
- Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes;
- Parents are unwilling to provide their information on the FAFSA, documents required for Verification purpose, or parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education (in such cases we recommend that the student contacts the Office of Financial Aid to be advised on how to proceed with applying for federal aid).
Provisional Independent Status
Provisional independent status is granted to students who indicate on the FAFSA that they have unusual circumstances that prevent them from contacting their parents or obtaining their information to complete the FAFSA. In such cases, the student will be eligible to skip any questions about parents, submit their FAFSA form as an independent student. The FAFSA will calculate a provisional Student Aid Index (SAI) to estimate eligibility for based on income, family size, and other relevant data on the FAFSA. However, the application is still considered to be incomplete. The provisional SAI is subject to a final review by the Office of Financial Aid which may change a student’s eligibility for federal student aid. See appeal process outlined above to determine federal student aid eligibility for students with provisional independent status.
If you have questions about whether or not you may be considered for an Unusual Circumstance appeal, reach out to the Office of Financial Aid.
Special Circumstance Appeal
In some instances, information previously reported on the FAFSA may no longer properly reflect the student’s and/or family’s ability to contribute toward the student’s education because there are significant changes in income for the student and/or parents (if dependent). Federal regulations allow financial aid administrators the authority to exercise professional judgment to adjust (on a case-by-case basis) certain FAFSA data elements to account for changes in income information after completing the FAFSA.
A Special Circumstance appeal – The Office of Financial Aid will review the supporting documentation that addresses the change in income, assets, and other relevant documentation. to determine how to adjust the data elements on the FAFSA to reflect the student and family’s current financial circumstances more accurately.
When completing the FAFSA, a student reports income information from two years prior (also called prior-prior). Students who were not previously qualified for a Federal Pell Grant or did not receive the maximum Pell Grant based on prior-prior income reported on the FAFSA may be eligible for additional funds based on an approved Special Circumstance appeal.
Possible circumstances for this appeal include but are not limited to:
- Reduction in income due to changing employment or reduced wages/working hours from current employment;
- A significant loss of income has occurred due to a period of unemployment;
- Death of a wage-earner (parent, if dependent; spouse, if independent) after completing the FAFSA;
- Student (if independent) or parent (if dependent) marital status has changed to divorced or separated after the FAFSA was filed;
- Loss of untaxed income or benefit (from a public or private agency, or from a person because of a court order – example: child support);
- Loss of income due to disability or a natural disaster.
If you have questions about whether or not you may be considered for a Special Circumstance appeal, reach out to the Office of Financial Aid.
Federal Work Study Offer Appeal (FWS Waitlist)
Students who are interested in participating in the program but did not receive a Federal Work Study offer may appeal by adding their name to the waitlist to be considered for FWS. Receiving a FWS offer is contingent upon the availability of additional FWS funding. Students will be notified of a final determination via their Guttman email in approximately 2-3 weeks.
When funding is available, the Federal Work Study Waitlist can be accessed here.
For questions regarding this appeal process, send an email to fws@guttman.cuny.edu.
New York State Financial Aid Appeals
All Guttman Community College students who receive NYS financial aid are required to meet NYS Academic Progress standards to maintain their eligibility.
Students who fail to meet NYS academic progress standards can appeal their status if they can demonstrate and support experiencing an extenuating circumstance beyond their control that impacted their academic performance. Examples of extenuating circumstances are but are not limited to:
- death of an immediate family member
- called to active military duty
- parental leave to care for a new-born child
- medical reasons
- a significant trauma in a student’s life
NYS TAP Academic Waiver Appeal
The academic guidelines for NYS TAP aid are divided into three major areas: Program Pursuit, Academic Progress and GPA. Students must meet all three requirements to retain TAP eligibility each semester.
- Program Pursuit – requires students to complete a specific number/percentage of credits each semester
- Academic Progress – requires a minimum number of credits to be earned each semester
- Grade Point Average (GPA) – requires students to maintain a certain GPA each semester
Students who have failed to meet one or more of the three measures above may submit a NYS TAP Academic Waiver Appeal if they experienced extenuating circumstances which must be documented.
There are two types of NYS TAP Academic Waiver for undergraduate studies:
- Good Academic Standing Waiver – relates to failure to achieve the program pursuit or academic progress requirements.
- Note: This is a one-time lifetime undergraduate eligibility waiver.
- C-Average Waiver -relates to failure to achieve the “C” average requirement (2.0 GPA) after the fourth payment of TAP.
Students can appeal by completing and submitting an appeal for a NYS TAP Academic Waiver which will be reviewed by the Appeal Committee. The appeal may only be granted when there is a reasonable expectation that the student will meet future academic requirements. The committee will determine which waiver is applicable to the student.
NYS TAP Academic Waiver Appeal Process
- Complete a NYS Student Aid Payment Application.
- Submit a NYS TAP Academic Waiver Appeal form. You must include a current Academic Success Plan and Supporting Documentation.
- Your Academic Success Plan (ASP) can be found on DegreeWorks under the “Plans” tab. If you have any questions regarding your ASP, please contact your Academic Advisor. Failure to meet the conditions of your ASP and NYS academic requirements will result in the suspension of your NYS financial aid for the subsequent semester.
- Documentation must support the extenuating circumstances listed in your personal statement. Examples of documentation can be statements on official letterhead from a third-party (such as health official, lawyer, counselor, clergyman), hospitalization/treatment records, accident reports…etc.
- You can securely upload your appeal and supporting documents using the “Document Upload” feature available in CUNYfirst Student Self-Service. Do not email your documents. Failure to submit supporting documentation will result in the denial of your appeal.
- Your appeal will be reviewed by the Appeal Allow 10-14 business days for the committee to evaluate your appeal. You will be notified of the determination via email. Submission of this appeal does not guarantee approval.
- You are responsible for your tuition and fees regardless of the outcome of the Appeal.
Excelsior Appeals
To maintain your eligibility in the Excelsior Scholarship program, students must (1) have a household adjusted gross income less than $125,000, (2) be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits per semester, (3) earn 30 credits each academic year and graduate in two years with an associate degree.
Note: Students with a disability within the definitions of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) are exempt from the full-time attendance requirement, both the 12 credits per fall and spring semester and 30 credits per year. However, you must be registered with Guttman’s Office of Accessibility with an approved for ADA status and must earn a passing grade for all courses you are registered for each term.
If a student does not meet the requirements listed above due to extenuating circumstances beyond your control, then you may be eligible to appeal to reinstate your Excelsior Scholarship eligibility.
Excelsior Income Appeal
Students whose current household income or prior year adjusted gross income is $125,000 or below due to the disability, divorce or separation of a parent, spouse or the student or the death of a parent or spouse may request a review of their eligibility by completing the Income Eligibility Determination Form and uploading to the HESC website.
Excelsior Annual Credit or Continuous Enrollment Appeal
Students who do not meet the annual credit or continuous enrollment requirements may be able to appeal the loss of their Excelsior Scholarship due to an extenuating circumstance (examples listed above).
Begin the Excelsior Appeal process by emailing the Office of Financial Aid at financial.aid@guttman.cuny.edu, and a financial aid advisor will contact to assist you through the process.
Cost of Attendance (COA) Appeal
You may experience unforeseen expenses during the academic year that are not accounted for in the typical estimated cost of attendance. The COA appeal allows students with unforeseen expenses to request an increase in their COA by submitting an appeal and supporting documentation. Below are examples of the allowable expenses a student can request in their appeal. Supporting documentation is required.
- Housing – costs that exceed the basic student budget for reasonable, justified living accommodations are acceptable. However, you are expected to seek housing within the budgeted housing allowance. If you have roommates, your costs will be divided by the number of roommates.
- Medical, Dental, and Optical – expenses not covered by insurance is included in the “Personal Expenses” category of the basic budget. Projected expenses that occur during the academic year can be considered when you present a signed healthcare provider’s statement, written on letterhead, indicating treatment required, cost, and scheduled date of treatment
- Required Education Costs – If your books and supplies costs are above the basic “Books and Supplies” category of the student expense budget, then a student can provide proof of the additional course requirement.
Examples of expenses not allowed:
- Cable bill
- Credit card debt
- Car payments
- Trips for entertainment purposes
Start the COA appeal process by emailing the Office of Financial Aid at financial.aid@guttman.cuny.edu, and a financial aid advisor will contact to assist you through the process.