The following was sent on behalf of Melissa Kunes, Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Education and Executive Director for Student Aid, to alert faculty and staff about a notice sent to financial aid applicants and current financial aid recipients that they may be able to receive a financial aid adjustment due to the recent unemployment of a family member or independent student, or other circumstances.
All,
As a requirement of HEERF III, institutions are required to conduct mandated outreach to students to provide notice to financial aid applicants and current financial aid recipients that they may be able to receive a financial aid adjustment due to the recent unemployment of a family member or independent student, or other circumstances. Here is a copy of the email that will be sent to all fall 2021 enrolled aid applicants to inform them of the possibility of having their financial aid reviewed if their family has experienced a significant change in their financial circumstances due to the pandemic. This pertains to all undergraduate, graduate, medical, law, and non-credit clock hour Title IV aid eligible students.
Students will be able to register to attend informational sessions (with family members) to learn more about this possibility through a link in the email below.
We do anticipate an increase in our student and family contacts as a result of this email. Encourage students to attend these informational sessions if they are not able to reach our office directly with questions, and they should also be encouraged to access our website at studentaid.psu.edu for additional information.
This email was sent on Thursday morning, September 23.
EMAIL TO STUDENTS
Dear Nittany Lion:
Thank you for submitting your 2021-22 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to Penn State. We realize that, in order to complete the FAFSA, you were required to enter income information from the 2019 tax year. We would like to make you aware that, if your family’s income is now lower in a subsequent completed tax year (2020 or 2021) than it was when you submitted the current FAFSA, you can contact our office for an evaluation of your circumstances. Please have your most recent completed tax documents available and be prepared to discuss the changes that occurred and the date in which these changes occurred. A student aid representative will evaluate your situation and may request documentation to complete the review.
Our office is required to follow all federal and state regulations. Although you may have a significant reduction in your family’s income, it may not result in a change in your eligibility for additional financial aid.
If you currently have a “0” Expected Family Contribution (EFC), please visit our website for additional information.
If you are in a Graduate Program, including Law or Medical Programs, a change in your financial circumstance will likely not increase your eligibility for financial aid. You may wish to contact the student aid representative at your campus.
For a complete list of types of aid our office administers, please visit https://studentaid.psu.edu/types-of-aid
There are other circumstances that can be evaluated, you can find additional details about the change of circumstance process at https://studentaid.psu.edu/SCEF.
If you have experienced a recent change in your family’s financial circumstance, please register for one of the following informational sessions:
SCEF Process In-person Session
September 29 @ 1:30 pm
or
SCEF Process Virtual Session (Zoom)
September 30 @ 1:30 pm
Please have your most recent completed tax year documents available when you contact our office.
Sincerely,
Office of Student Aid