Change of Financial Situation

If a student, their parent, or their spouse (if married), experiences a change in their finances, financial aid may be recalculated through a Change of Financial Situation request.

Please note:  Students with a 0 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) (changing to the Student Aid Index (SAI) starting from the 2024–25 academic year) on the FAFSA® will not benefit from submitting a Change of Financial Situation request. The SAI is listed on the Financial Aid Notification available via the Self Service.  

Graduate students and students seeking a second bachelor's degree will not benefit from this process, in most cases. Please contact our office to review your situation if you are unsure.

Students may request an evaluation of financial aid eligibility for a variety of situations. Below are example situations when a student may submit a Change of Financial Situation request.

  • Student, parent of dependent student, or student’s spouse loss of job/reduction in income
  • Student, parent of dependent student, or student’s spouse reduction in income due to a disability
  • Student, parent of dependent student, or student’s spouse loss of benefits or untaxed income (i.e., child support, disability benefits, etc.)
  • Independent student or parent of dependent student divorce or separation of parents AFTER completion of the FAFSA®
  • Death of a parent (dependent students) or death of a spouse AFTER completion of the FAFSA®
  • Student, parent of dependent student, or student’s spouse medical/dental expenses not paid by insurance and not claimed as a deduction on Income Taxes (expenses should be at least 20% of Adjusted Gross Income)
  • Student, parent of dependent student, or student’s spouse rollover incorrectly listed as untaxed income on Income Taxes

Student Process

Students should submit the Change of Financial Situation Form, along with supporting documentation, found on our Forms webpage. Review the form carefully before submitting.

Students should submit requests no later than four weeks from the end of the aid year or semester of enrollment in order to ensure timely review, process and consideration of the request.

The Office of Financial Assistance will review the request and respond to the student timely with the results of the evaluation. The current FAFSA® data may need to be verified prior to any adjustments being processed. Please be advised that we may need to request additional documentation in order to complete this step as well. A representative will send a request by email if additional documentation or information is needed.

To submit the form, please notify the Financial Assistance Office that you will be submitting the form and documentation. We will put the requirement on your Financial Aid requirements. Then, follow the steps below for uploading documentation.

Upload via UIS Self Service, under Financial Aid Requirements

  1. Log in to the UIS Self-Service system
  2. Click on the Financial Aid Home page.
  3. Make sure you have selected the correct aid year.
  4. Below the unsatisfied requirement, click the Choose File button.
  5. Choose the file and click open (.pdf, .jpg, and .png files accepted)
  6. Once you see the file pending, click Submit.
  7. If the document has been uploaded successfully, you will see a “Document Upload Successful” appear in the yellow box.

Dependency Override Request

Dependent students with unusual circumstances may request an override to be considered an independent student. Dependency status is based on information provided on the FAFSA®. Most traditional, undergraduate students are dependent and must report parental information on the FAFSA®.  The Dependency Override Request form, along with supporting documentation, must be submitted for consideration.


However, none of the conditions listed below, singly or in combination, qualify as unusual circumstances meriting a dependency override:

  • Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
  • Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA® or verification.
  • Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
  • Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

Please note that we will only re-evaluate your financial aid eligibility under serious circumstances; the University of Illinois Springfield does not negotiate financial aid or try to match offers from other colleges. Graduate students should not complete this process as they are not eligible for need-based grants. Requests are reviewed on a case by case basis and your submission of the request form does not guarantee we will be able to award additional funding.