Special & Unusual Circumstance Request

Special Circumstances refer to the financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or in the SAI calculation. BMCU will consider exercising professional judgment on a case-by-case basis for the following categories of special circumstances: 

  • Separation from employment due to layoff, termination or disability 
  • Reduction in income (less than income reported on tax return used in current year FAFSA) 
  • Excessive non-reimbursed medical and/or dental expenses 
  • Loss or reduction of untaxed income source (disability benefits, welfare benefits, child support) 
  • Separation or divorce which occurred after applying for financial aid 
  • Death of a parent or spouse which occurred after applying for financial aid 
  • Other documented special circumstances 


Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation, more commonly referred to as a dependency override. BMCU will consider exercising professional judgment for the following categories of unusual circumstances: 

  • Human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) 
  • Legally granted refugee or asylum status 
  • Parental abandonment or estrangement 
  • Student or parental incarceration 
  • Determination of unaccompanied homeless youth 
  • Dependency determination for students unable to provide parent data 
  • Awarding of Direct Unsubsidized loans only for dependent students without parent support 
  • Other documented unusual circumstances 


How To Submit A Special or Unusual Circumstances Petition 

If you have had a special or unusual circumstance you would like our office to consider, please take the following steps: 


  1. Complete the Special Circumstance Petition Form (click here) or Unusual Circumstance Petition Form (click here) and ensure all required supporting documentation is attached. 
  2. Upload the completed form and all supporting documentation here. 
  3. If selected for FAFSA verification by the U.S. Department of Education, ensure all requested verification documentation has been submitted as this is required before petitions may be processed. 
  4. Please allow 2-4 weeks for processing. Students will receive notification of petition outcomes through the student BMCU email.