If you or your family experienced a recent hardship that is not reflected on your FAFSA, such as loss of income or unexpected medical expenses, the Office of Financial Aid has the ability to review how much financial aid听you may be eligible to receive.

Income Loss or Medical Expenses

2024-25 Income Calculator is now available
If your financial situation recently changed due to a loss of income or high medical expenses, you can now complete an income calculation. If eligible, any adjustment to aid will not be made until mid-to-late听July.听See step-by-step instructions听below.听

When听available, you may complete an income calculation to account for the change in your family's听financial situation. The income calculation will determine if your financial aid needs to be reevaluated. Qualifying for grants as a result of this process听is rare and highly unlikely. If your income change qualifies for听an adjustment, aid is typically provided as additional loan eligibility.

The deadline to to be reconsidered for aid is three weeks before the end of the term for which you are requesting the reevaluation. We cannot negotiate financial aid offers or听match another school鈥檚 offer.

Circumstances we typically consider:

  • Loss of employment
  • Substantial change in income
  • Medical expenses not covered by insurance
  • Separation or divorce
  • Death of a parent or spouse
  • Loss of child support or alimony
  • House fire or other natural disaster affecting the home in which you live

Circumstances we do not consider:

  • Different university offering more aid
  • Reduced 401K values
  • Reduced investment values
  • Credit card debt or car payments
  • Parent's inability or unwillingness to borrow Parent PLUS loans
  • If student already has Student Aid Index (SAI) of -1,500听to 0

How much financial aid will I receive?

It depends. The following are examples of special circumstances which illustrate the likelihood of a reevaluation of financial aid eligibility. Please note that each family's situation is unique and we take many factors into account. 听

Please be aware that these income scenarios do not reflect assets or investments, which could听change your eligibility.

Family Income: $30,000

  • Colorado resident
  • Parent job loss, new income听$20,000 ($10,000 loss)

Outcome:
A student in this scenario is already receiving the maximum amount of financial aid available and听would not result in additional financial aid.

Family Income: $250,000

  • Nonresident
  • Parent job loss, new income $150,000 ($100,000 loss)

Outcome:
Revised financial aid would be limited to听loans, possibly听switched from unsubsidized听to听subsidized (delayed听interest). The updated income听is still too high to qualify for grants.

Family Income: $115,000

  • Colorado resident
  • Medical expenses of $25,000 not covered by insurance

Outcome:
Student would be encouraged to submit supporting documentation as their revised income would likely result in additional grant eligibility.

Am I eligible for grants?

Grants are typically given to low-income students and eligibility is based on your Student Aid Index (SAI). Your SAI is a formula听created by the FAFSA to determine your family's ability to pay for college.听It is not the amount of money your family will need to pay, nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive.

  • In previous years, it was unlikely you'd be听eligible for 澳门开奖结果2023开奖记录 grants unless you were听Pell eligible.听
  • To meet your cost of attendance, you may听consider loan options.

听

Complete an income calculation

To begin,听use our income calculator and provide updated financial information. The calculator will allow you to see how the change could potentially impact your eligibility for financial aid.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Log in to听Buff Portal and navigate to the
  2. At the bottom of the card, click More Items
  3. Select Income/Medical Appeal
  4. Select the听school year impacted by the income听change (for example, choose 2025 for Fall 2024 & Spring 2025)
  5. Follow the instructions carefully. The calculator will give an immediate result based on the info you provide. You may be asked to听provide听additional information. If so, this step is required to be reevaluated for financial aid.
    听If you're required to submit additional information, a financial aid advisor will review听if an adjustment is possible,听which may take about 4 to 6 weeks.

FAQs

Unexpected Academic Expenses

Students may also request an increase to their cost of attendance for uncommon expenses they may have during the academic year, such as purchasing a new computer, or books and supplies that exceed the budgeted amount. You can find these requests below Special Circumstances & Appeals Forms.

No Parental Information

For financial aid purposes, a student is considered a dependent of their parents. You may appeal to be听considered independently from your parents if you have听an unusual circumstance听such as an abusive family environment, abandonment, incarceration of a parent, etc.