Request a professional judgement
The University’s Financial Aid & Scholarships office is permitted to review and update students’ federal aid eligibility through a process called Professional Judgement. Under certain circumstances, students may qualify for adjustments to their FAFSA and receive additional aid. Students must submit a FAFSA prior to submitting a Professional Judgement request.
What is professional judgement
Professional Judgement refers to the ability for a financial aid office to review a special or unusual circumstance a student may be experiencing and using their professional discretion to make a determination for a possible adjustment to student aid eligibility. This is done on a case-by-case basis after acceptable and reasonable documentation has been submitted.
How to request a professional judgement
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships encourages a one-on-one appointment with a Professional Judgement advisor before a request is made. The link to book an in-person or virtual appointment is below.
During the one-on-one appointment, the student and the advisor will discuss the special or unusual circumstance to determine if it warrants a professional judgement and if so, what documentation will need to be provided. Once documentation is collected and ready for submission, students can submit documents directly to fapj@unr.edu.
Please be advised that submission of a Professional Judgement (whether with prior year tax data or a special circumstance) may not increase federal aid eligibility and therefore may be denied.
Circumstances for a professional judgement
- Applicable only to dependent students who have not previously been granted an approved Appeal for Independent Status at the University of Nevada, Reno.
- Instances where a dependent student (based on FAFSA criteria, not taxes) believes they should be classified as independent. Students must be able to demonstrate that it is either impossible to obtain parent financial information or that it is unsafe to do so.
- Required documentation
- Appeal for Independent Status form, signed and dated
- Personal Statement as outlined on the form
- Two Third-Party Statements as outlined on the form
- A V-1 Independent Verification Worksheet, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Since the FAFSA uses two years prior tax data (e.g., the 2023-24 FAFSA uses 2021 tax information and 2024-25 FAFSA uses 2022 tax information) to calculate estimated family contribution (EFC) for 2023-24 and student aid index (SAI) for 2024-25, students whose financial situation or household has changed due to income change, job loss, death, divorce or extraordinary expenses/situations can request a professional judgement to re-evaluate your financial aid eligibility.
- Required documentation
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- Re-Evaluation Form, signed and dated by all required parties
- A brief, detailed letter explaining the reason for re-evaluation
- Applicable Tax Documents
- Signed IRS 1040 Form (2 pages) for applicable tax year
- IRS Schedules 1,2,3 and/or C, if applicable
- All W2’s for applicable tax year
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- Instances where income or a benefit is no longer received (i.e. child support), or there is a one-time distribution.
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed, and dated by all required parties
- A brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Documentation of benefit or income source (not including employment), date of benefit or income loss, amount received in applicable tax year.
- Termination letter from the provider/agency, or 1099R
- Instances where a students’ or parent’s marital status has changed after FAFSA was filed.
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed and dated by all required parties
- A brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Marriage certificate
- Dependent students only: Signed statement explaining any support to be received from parents in the applicable aid year (i.e. for rent, phone, medical, transportation, child care etc)
- Applicable only to 2024-25 FAFSA
- Instances where a student or parent household size has changed due to a birth of a child after FAFSA was filed
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed, and dated by all required parties
- A Brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet.
- Birth Certificate
- Instances where there has been a separation/divorce (for student or parent) or a death.
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed, and dated by all required parties
- A Brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Separation OR Divorce papers
- OR copy of death certificate
- Applicable only to 2023-24 FAFSA
- Instances where a parent is also enrolled at least half time in a program leading to a college degree or certificate.
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed, and dated by all required parties
- A brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Name of parent and college parent is attending
- List of financial assistance, federal aid or veteran education benefits (such as vocational rehabilitation or job training) that parent is receiving
- Documentation of parents’ schedule demonstrating at least half-time enrollment in a degree-seeking program or certificate during the applicable aid year
- Instances where expenses occur unexpectedly and are not paid/covered by insurance.
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed, and dated by all required parties
- A brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Documentation of amount for major medical, dental or natural disaster damages not covered by insurance and year expenses occurred
- Itemized receipts or bills with out-of-pocket expenses circled on each, OR
- Copies of medical insurance documentation showing patient’s responsibility for payment of medical charges and prescriptions
- Instances where circumstances are outside of the categories listed above
- Required documentation
- Special Circumstances form, completed, signed, and dated by all required parties
- A Brief, detailed letter explaining the circumstances
- A V-1 Verification Worksheet, Independent or Dependent version as applicable, including all tax data for the applicable aid year as noted in section 2 of the verification worksheet
- Itemized receipts/bills or documentation of out-of-pocket expenses OR any documentation supporting circumstances.
If you have any question about the process or your situation, we are here to help.
Contact us at FAPJ@unr.edu to start the conversation.