UMB Student Financial Assistance Office has the authority to make professional judgement determinations to justify the adjustment of data elements in the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation, components of the cost of attendance (COA), or changes to a student's dependency status, as allowed by the regulations set forth by the Department of Education. This section provides guidance on which scenarios and expenses are eligible for consideration and outlines the appeal process. 

Professional judgement determinations are made on a case-by-case basis and require documentation that supports the student's specific special or unusual circumstance. Students should expect a response regarding their appeal within 3-4 weeks of the receipt of all required documentation. 

If you, your spouse, or your parents (if dependent) have experienced a reduction in income since the tax year reported on the FAFSA, you may complete the Professional Judgement-Loss of Income Form. Requests will not be reviewed until all required documentation is received. Students must submit the following: 

• Completed and signed Professional Judgement-Loss of Income Form.
• Signed IRS Tax Return form(s) for you, and your parents if dependent. 
• A copy of the last pay stub, and current pay stub (If applicable). 
• Any additional documentation that further supports the reduction in income (e.g. divorce decree, unemployment documents, severance information etc.). 

Professional judgement requests are to determine eligibility for federal need-based aid and cannot be used to be considered for institutional need-based funds. 

If your living expenses exceed the monthly allotment in the cost of attendance (COA), or you have other costs that have not been accounted for in the budget, you may submit a request for a COA increase, along with supporting documentation. University Student Financial Assistance will review reasonable expenses that fall within the approved costs outlined in the federal regulations. If approved, the student will be eligible to request an increase to their federal loan (Parent Plus for dependent undergraduate students or Grad Plus for graduate students). An approved request will not result in awarding of any need-based grants or scholarships.

Below are some allowable expenses that may be considered for a COA adjustment:

• Living expenses that exceed the monthly allotment. **Students should review the monthly breakdown and itemized costs included in the standard Cost of Attendance. Monthly expenses that fall within what has already been budgeted for will not be approved. 
  • Monthly rent expenses: increases may be approved if above $1,650, with the maximum of $1,950.
• Dependent/child care costs
  • Determinations made based on reasonable child care costs up to $1,000/month for one child and a maximum of $2,000/month for two or more children under the age of 12. 
  • The children who incur the childcare expenses must be listed as dependents on your tax return. 
• Non-elective medical/dental expenses not covered by insurance
• Computer purchase
• Transportation costs that exceed the monthly allotment

Costs that are not allowable in a cost of attendance adjustment include, but are not limited to, consumer credit card debt, medical co-pays, living expenses for a spouse, non-service animal expenses, travel expenses for residency interviews, moving/relocation expenses, costs for study materials or test prep that are not part of a student’s program curriculum.

For undergraduate students who would otherwise be classified as dependent, but have unusual circumstances that prevent them from including parent information on their FAFSA, may be reviewed for a dependency override. Unusual circumstance can include (but are not limited to):

• Student or parental incarceration.
• Parental abandonment or estrangement.
• Legally granted refugee or asylum status.
• Human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.

Circumstances that do not qualify for a dependency override:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student's educational expenses.
• Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA.
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
• Student demonstrates self-sufficiency.

Appeal Process

When completing the FAFSA, students should answer "Yes" to one of the following dependency questions:

• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, was the student unaccompanied and either (1) homeless or (2) self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
• Do unusual circumstances prevent the student rom contacting their parents or would contacting their parents pose a risk to the student?

The student will then be required to submit documentation supporting their unusual circumstance. Documents include, but are not limited to:

• A completed Unusual Circumstance-Dependency Status Appeal Form.
• A signed, personal statement.
• Notarized third-party letters from individuals familiar with the situation. 
• Any related legal documents. 
• Income and tax information. 

Students who have had an approved dependency override will be automatically considered independent for subsequent academic years unless the student informs UMB that their circumstances have changed, or UMB receives conflicting information regarding the student's status.