Change in Financial Circumstance

Adjustments to your financial aid offer may be made if there have been significant changes to your family's financial situation.

We recognize that families occasionally experience changes in income or resources during the application process or the academic year. A request for reconsideration of your financial aid offer should be submitted when a family can document a significant change in financial circumstances, or when a family's circumstances have changed after the applications for financial aid have been filed.

How to Request a Reconsideration of Financial Aid

Review the following information to request a reconsideration of your award offer.

  • Admitted Students:
    • You must request any appeal of your financial aid award offer by April 15 in order to receive a response by the May 1 deposit deadline. If you have not requested an appeal by April 15, you will still need to respond to your offer of admission by May 1.
  • Current Students:
    • Please submit a complete request with all required documentation by June 1 to receive a response prior to fall bills being sent.

Due to limited availability of institutional funds and federal regulations surrounding financial aid reporting for student visas, ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï policy does not allow for a reconsideration of financial aid for international students. Exceptions will only be made for extenuating circumstances such as;

  • Natural disasters (tsunami, hurricane, tornadoes, volcanic activity, etc.)
  • Civil unrest/war
  • Loss of income due to the death of a parent

Although considerations for specific situations are limited, we may be able to give additional financial aid consideration for the following situations:

  • Loss of Employment by a Parent After an Eight-Week Period: A three-year average will be used for those requesting an alternate tax year. Required supporting documents include most recent tax year federal tax return, W2s, and a copy of the last paystub from all employers. Documents that may be requested include termination notice, severance statement, and/or unemployment benefits.
  • Loss of Untaxed Income or Benefits (Social Security, Child Support, Pension, etc.): Supporting documents may include a statement explaining the loss, notice of termination of child support, disability benefits, Social Security, worker's compensation, etc. A listing of Social Security benefits of each member of the household.
  • Divorce or Separation of Parents: Supporting documents may include providing the date of action, divorce decree, rental agreement, utility bills, a listing of the separation of assets, etc.
  • Death of a Parent: Supporting documents may include providing the date of death, death certificate or obituary notice, documentation of the proceeds of estate distributions, including inheritance, pensions, and Social Security benefits that are expected.
  • Medical Expenses:
    • If you itemize deductions: attach a schedule A from the most recent tax year.
    • If you do not itemize deductions: provide a list (date, type, amount) of unusually high medical, dental, or prescription expenses not covered by insurance or a third party. Total the amounts by calendar years as applicable.
  • One-Time/Non-Recurring Income: Supporting documents may include an explanation of the type, amount, and how income was used (e.g. IRA distribution, property sale, inheritance, Form 1099, etc.).

We know there are many factors that influence a family's financial health, but we are not able to accept appeals based on the circumstances described below:

  • Higher living expenses experienced by the family. Cost of living is considered during our initial review.
  • Purchasing discretionary items such as a car, home appliances, weddings, vacations, second homes, etc.
  • Reduction in the value of assets
  • Credit issues, line of credit changes, previous student loan debt, etc.
  • Costs associated with parents who are also attending college. Siblings pursuing undergraduate education is considered during our initial review.
  • Changes in financial circumstances for international students
  • A non-custodial parent’s unwillingness to contribute
  • Financial aid offers from other institutions

Due to institutional funding limitations, students must exhaust all self-help opportunities (such as Federal Direct Loans and student employment) before they are eligible to be considered for an appeal grant.

The College recognizes that many families have experienced dramatic changes to their income that have impacted their family's financial situation. The Financial Aid Committee reviews change in income requests in accordance with our current policies, which includes taking a three-year average of income.

To be considered for an appeal of your award offer, you must:

  • First, review the information on this page about qualifying changes in circumstance.
  • Consult your admitted student portal and upload any missing financial aid materials through IDOC.
  • Complete this form and submit with any required documentation to finaid@brynmawr.edu. Include your student ID number (found at the top of your admitted student portal) and "FA Financial Appeal Requested" in the subject line of your email.
  • Submit 2024 taxes (if you have self-reported taxes, please sign the second page of your tax form and include the confirmation page of your return submission to the IRS.
  • If you are an international admitted student, please see below for further information.