Financial Aid Hardship Appeals

Appeals Due to Special Circumstances

At IWU, all students are afforded the right to appeal their financial aid eligibility if there are circumstances that are negatively impacting the student’s or their parent’s (who are reported on the FAFSA) financial situation. The Financial Aid Office may be able to consider situations such as loss of income, extraordinary medical expenses, one-time income received, and other situations that impact the family income reported on the FAFSA.

To consider a family’s special circumstances, IWU has an Appeal Questionnaire available online under the Special Forms section of the Financial Aid website. Students/parents are encouraged to print, complete, and submit the Appeal Questionnaire along with all documentation that clearly details the financial impact of the special circumstances. There are no official deadlines or due dates with appeals. 

If an appeal is approved, corrections may be made to the FAFSA application. The Financial Aid Appeal Committee will review the modified FAFSA and determine if any additional financial aid is available. Financial Aid Appeals are done on a case by case basis and not all appeals are able to be approved. If you have questions about the appeal process, please contact the Financial Aid Office at (309) 556-3096 or iwufaid@iwu.edu.