Financial Aid Appeal Policy and Process
Applicants and recipients of Title IV (PELL, FSEOG, FWS, Direct and Plus Loans) who do not meet the required standards for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP) due to circumstances beyond their control may appeal their status by accessing the College’s FASAP appeal process.
Based on documented mitigating circumstances beyond the control of the student* a student may appeal for reinstatement of aid in order to complete a particular program of study.
*Documented mitigating circumstances might include, but are not limited to:
- Serious illness or injury to the student;
- Serious illness, injury, or death of a student’s immediate family member (parent, sibling, spouse, child); or
- Special documented circumstances of a unique and substantial nature.
Appeal Process
A Financial Aid Appeal Request Form is available in any campus financial aid office and online in the Financial Aid Forms section of the College website. Students eligible to submit an appeal must also submit a signed academic plan (Degree Audit). In order to develop the academic plan, the student must schedule a meeting with an academic advisor for advising during which time a plan will be agreed upon. Both the advisor and student must sign and date the plan. Failure to submit all required attachments and documentation will result in a denied appeal. Full instructions for submitting a FASAP appeal are available with the form(s) online.
The student must indicate clearly and in detail the circumstances of his/her failure to meet FASAP standards. Specific dates and events must be identified and documentation to support the appeal must be attached to the form. Appeals submitted without specific dates, events, or documentation are incomplete and will be denied. Filing an appeal does not guarantee that the appeal will be approved.
The completed appeal form and documentation must be submitted to a Financial Aid, Veteran Services, and Scholarships Office. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will review and make a determination concerning the appeal. When an appeal is granted, additional conditions may be established which the student will be required to meet in order to continue with financial aid eligibility. The student will be notified via PirateMail of the decision. If the student does not agree with the denial and has substantive additional information and documentation not previously submitted, the student may submit a written letter of disagreement and the additional documentation to the Director, Financial Aid, within 14 days with a new appeal packet and the additional documentation. The Director's decision is the final authorized decision.
Note: If an appeal is submitted during a registration period, the process will take longer.
Helpful Definitions for Students
https://studentaid.ed.gov/glossary
Release of Student Financial Aid Information
The disclosure of student information is governed by the policies of the Board of Trustees of Pensacola State College and the Florida Department of Education within the parameters established by state and federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
The written consent of the financial aid recipient is required for any disclosure or publication of any financial aid information that is personally identifiable. Parents and legal guardians of dependent financial aid recipients may have access to financial aid information only with the written consent of their dependent student. The appropriate form is available from the Office of Financial Aid, Veteran Services, and Scholarships, and on the college website at Financial Aid/General Financial Aid Forms/Release of Information Authorization.
Official Correspondence and Communication
Official communication between Pensacola State College and all College students is through PirateMail and Spyglass notifications. A student email address is issued to each student one day after his or her application for admission to Pensacola State College is processed. The Office of Financial Aid, Veteran Services, and Scholarships will communicate through PirateMail and Spyglass notifications. It is a student's responsibility to regularly monitor this official PirateMail email site. Failure to do so may result in a delay in the awarding of any and all aid or the loss of aid due to limited funding. See http://www.pensacolastate.edu/piratemail/ for PirateMail assistance and frequently asked questions.