Economic Hardship Appeal

Financial circumstances change, and you may have special circumstances that affect your and/or your family’s ability to contribute to your education. We are here to help.

​Appeals for the 2024-25 school year will be available through the Berkeley Financial Aid Forms portal website from May 15, 2024 to February 2, 2025.

The priority deadline to request an Economic Hardship Appeal for 2023-24 is February 2, 2024. 

 

NEWLY ADMITTED STUDENTS, you will be able to access the website that allows you to submit an appeal after you accept your offer of admission and create a CalNet ID. If you need immediate assistance, contact Cal Student Central.

 

Special Circumstances: Economic Hardship Appeals (formerly known as an Expected Family Contribution Appeal) 

If you or your parents’ have special circumstances that are impacting your ability to contribute, you can consider requesting an Economic Hardship Appeal for reconsideration of your Student Aid Index (SAI) and eligibility for financial aid.  We will review your appeal and adjust the information on the aid application, as appropriate, based on your current financial situation. 

​​Special circumstances we will generally consider through an Economic Hardship (SAI) Appeal:

  • Loss or reduction of income, including but not limited to loss of employment, reduction of pay, death of a parent or spouse, and reduction/loss of child support; 
  • Change in income due to a divorce or separation; 
  • One time only income distributions; 
  • High out of pocket medical and/or dental expenses; 
  • Costs associated with a natural disaster​; 
  • Costs associated with K-12 private education expenses; 
  • A dependent, undergraduate sibling’s college expenses ONLY if the family is experiencing an additional financial hardship listed above.

​Special circumstances we do not consider through an Economic Hardship (SAI) Appeal:

  • Changes to assets or inability to liquidate assets;
  • Loss of overtime or bonus;
  • Bankruptcy, foreclosures or collection costs associated with outstanding debt;
  • Consumer debt (credit cards, car payments, loans, etc.);
  • Lottery or gambling winnings or losses;
  • One-time income used for non-life essential items (e.g.. family vacation);
  • Parents (step parents or biological parents) who do not wish to provide support;
  • Marital separation where the parents are still living together;
  • Sibling’s college expenses if the family is not experiencing an additional financial hardship as outlined above.

 

Economic Hardship Appeal