Special Circumstance and The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act:
Students and their families may have “Special Circumstances” due to other unforeseen circumstances beyond their control that impact the ability to pay for expenses associated with college attendance. Students who have experienced a change in financial circumstances not reflected on the 2024-2025 FAFSA may initiate a review of their federal aid eligibility by completing the 2024-2025 Special Circumstances Form
Please review the list of qualifying circumstances below before submitting the appeal form and remember to attach all required documents. Submit all documents to the Office of Student Financial Services in person, by mail, or email documents to faodocuments@newpaltz.edu.
Students will be notified via their campus email address if their federal aid eligibility has changed. It is important to note that not all appeals will result in increased grant eligibility. In addition, reviews resulting in increased grant eligibility may also result in revisions to the Excelsior Scholarship due to NY State regulations that require Pell, as well as other certain grants and scholarships, to be deducted before the Excelsior Scholarship award amount is determined.
Students are welcome to contact Student Financial Services before submitting an appeal to discuss potential outcomes based on individual circumstances. SFS Contact Information
The 2024-2025 priority document submission deadline is July 1, 2024 for Fall 2024 and October 1, 2024 for Spring 2025. Submitting documents after the priority deadline may result in limited funding.
Qualifying Special Circumstances:
- Involuntary loss of employment or income from other sources
- Legal separation or divorce
- Death of parent or spouse
- Substantial medical or dental expenses you paid that were not covered by insurance
- One-time lump sum payments
Please note: Federal Financial Aid appeals are made on a case-by-case basis based on guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed further.
The appeal process takes approximately four weeks to complete and does not extend the payment deadline. Students must make payment arrangements with the Office of Student Accounts prior to billing deadlines.
Additional Options to Assist with Payment:
- New Paltz Time Payment Plan
- Parent PLUS Loans
- Scholarships
- Private/Alternative Student Loans
- Tax Benefits/Credits
Additional Resources:
The SUNY New Paltz Food Pantry provides support to campus community members facing food insecurities. newpaltzcas.com/food-pantry
The Student Crisis Fund provides one-time grants in the event of a qualifying emergency. Average awards are $100-$1,000. The Student Crisis Fund application can be accessed within the my.newpaltz portal under Resources.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 expanded eligibility for SNAP benefits to college students meeting certain criteria. Additional information is available at fns.usda.gov/snap/students.
The Department of Education provides monthly discounts on Broadband Internet service to Pell Grant recipients. DoE Broadband Internet Discounts
Special resources are available for undocumented and non-resident students. newpaltz.edu/financialaid/information-for-undocumentednon-resident-students/#d.en.103044
