Special Circumstances

Here at Lamar Institute of Technology, we recognize there may be circumstances that affect your eligibility for aid, which are not reflected on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. If the information filed on the FAFSA does not reflect your current financial situation due to "special circumstances", you may submit the Special Circumstance Request form. By submitting this form, you are requesting the Financial Aid Office to make adjustments to the data on your FAFSA, to more accurately reflect you and/or your family's current financial situation.

We have developed guidelines to help you understand what we consider to be "special circumstances" for approving a Special Circumstance Request. See below.

Dependency Change Request

The following situations alone or in combination do not warrant a Dependency status from dependent to independent:

Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education.
Parents are unwilling to provide data for the FAFSA form or verification.
Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
The student demonstrates total financial self-sufficiency.
The student is reluctant or does not wish to communiccate with their parents.

Addtional Resources: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency

IMPORTANT: Verification must be completed before a Special Circumstance Request will be reviewed. Incomplete submissions will not be processed. For Dependency Change Request, the Financial Aid Office will explain which items will need to be verified before a request will be reviewed.

Please come to the Financail Aid office and speak with a Financail Aid Specialist if you have questions. The Dependency Change Request form is not available online and must be summitted in person at Eagles Nest Financial Aid office.

How to Apply for a Special Circumstance:

Complete a FAFSA Application
If selected for verification, complete the verification process
Submit the Special Circumstance Request form, along with documentation, to the Financial Aid Office
Allow 7 to 10 business days for the Financial Aid office to review your request
- During the peak season time-frame for processing may be 3-4 weeks.
Monitor your LIT email account for notification of approval or denial

Please note: There are instances, where although your situation may qualify as a "Special Circumstance," adjusting the income information on your FAFSA will not result in an increase to your financial aid award. In these cases, your request may be denied. Also Special Circumstance requests for the same situation will not be granted for multiple aid years unless approved by the Director of Financial Aid.

The Following are not Considered Special Circumstances:

Standard Living Expenses
Consumer Debt
Travel/Vacation Expenses
Tithes/Charitable Contributions
Fraternity/Sorority Dues

What does Lamar Institute of Technology Consider as a Special Circumstance?

Involuntary Reduction/Loss of Income

This could be because of the loss or termination from a job, a reduction in working hours, or a reduction in salary or hourly wages.

Medical and/or Dental Expenses Paid by the Parent or student (not reimbursed by insurance)

Dependent Student This could be because you or your parent had out of pocket medical/dental expenses not covered by insurance.

Independent Student This could be because you/spouse had out of pocket medical/dental expenses not covered by insurance.

Legal Separation or Divorce

Dependent Student This could be because your parent(s) was married at the time you completed your FAFSA, but are now divorced or legally separated.

Independent Student This could be because you were married at the time you completed your FAFSA, but are now divorced or legally separated.

Death of Dependent Student's Parent or Independent Student's Spouse

Dependent Student This could be because one or both of the parents listed on your FAFSA, is now deceased.

Independent Student This could be because your spouse, who's income is listed on your FAFSA, is now deceased.