UCHSC Professional Judgment

Special circumstances impacting your family contribution and educational expenses are evaluated on an individual student basis. You are required to submit appropriate documentation to support any decisions made through the professional judgment process. Student dependency status changes are generally not considered at UCHSC.

A Financial Aid Advisor will process appeals. At the Advisor's discretion, the appeal may be taken to the client services staff for input on resolution. Additional documentation may be requested prior to the processing of the appeal. All appeal decisions are final. Please allow 6 -8 weeks for the processing of appeals. The deadline to submit appeals is two months prior to the last day of classes in your academic year.

Your income as reported on your most current tax return may be considerably higher than your anticipated income for this current academic year. If this is the case, you should complete a "Reconsideration of Income". You must print and complete the appeal form by writing a brief description of the circumstances that have impacted your financial situation. Send the completed form to our office. Parents of dependent students and spouses of independent students may also complete Reconsideration of Income Appeals, but will need to attach appropriate documentation.

Additional documentation is frequently required for drop in income appeals and may consist of, but is not limited to:

Letter from employer documenting change in employment status or reduction of hours

Separation or divorce decree

Recent pay stub showing year to date information

Workman's compensation documents

Court document stating reduction or elimination of child support

Letter from Social Security Administration showing termination or adjustment of benefits

Caution:
Drop in income appeals are an estimate of future earnings. Should your estimate be incorrect (that is, the student, spouse, or parent earned more than the projected amount,) you must report this immediately to the Professional Judgment Coordinator. Failure to report these discrepancies may result in the reduction or cancellation of aid, and you will not be allowed to file future appeals, regardless of circumstances.

The Federal formula used to analyze the information on your financial aid application considers "allowable" expenses incurred by you and your family. Some expenses are not included however, and may be added to the student budget. For example, you may have extraordinary medical expenses, or have childcare expenses, that may be added to your cost of attendance. It is your responsibility to document these expenses and show that these expenses are not discretionary. These appeal forms are available after July 1st of the award year.

NOTE: If your appeal is approved, we will increase your Financial Aid Award to meet these expenses plus any additional need; however, you may have already borrowed the maximum allowable amount of Federal loans available in one academic year. If this is the case, you will be advised that you need to borrow through an alternative student loan program. In order to qualify for these loans, you will need to have a good credit rating. Therefore, students need to understand that increasing your budget through the appeal process does not guarantee additional loan funds.

Increased Medical Expenses:
Medical expenses and additional health insurance premiums (your cost for the school's health insurance premium is already included in your student budget), may be considered as the basis for an appeal. You should select the "Increase to Budget" form to file this appeal. Print and complete the form with a brief but thorough description of the expenses (in excess of insurance coverage) and provide appropriate documentation. Copies of all receipts, indicating clearly whether the charges were covered by insurance or whether the charges were your responsibility (or parent of a dependent student) must be provided. Appeals for medical costs will be limited to past charges incurred. In rare instances the Advisor may determine that future costs may be projected and considered. The term medical will be loosely interpreted and may include dental and optometry costs.

Child Care Expenses:
If you are a single parent or married with a working spouse, you may file an appeal to have child care costs incorporated as an addition to your budget. CCHE (Colorado Commission on Higher Education) requires that the amount per child not exceed $750 a month. Print and complete the "Increase to Budget" form with a detailed explanation of the reason and times childcare is needed, and a receipt or contract signed by the provider. You may contact our office regarding an advance in the form of a short-term loan for one month of care. Do not submit this appeal if you indicated day care expenses on the University Application (UAPP).

Transportation Expenses:
Transportation appeals will generally be approved only if you are required to do rotations at various places at varied times. You may appeal to have expenses included as a component of your budget, IF you can demonstrate public transportation is not available to meet your needs. These expenses will be limited to auto repair, not the purchase of a new vehicle. Print and complete the "Increase to Budget" form and submit appropriate documentation to our office. Appropriate documentation will be in the form of a receipt for services rendered from a mechanic/garage.

Computer Expenses:
Our research has determined that an initial computer purchase including CPU, monitor, printer and basic software can be purchased at a combined purchase price of approximately $1,200. Additional upgrades of hardware, software, and palm pilots that may be needed during the college career should not exceed $1,300. Given this information, the Student Financial Aid Office will allow you (unless you are a dental student - you were given a budget adjustment in your first year to accommodate this purpose), to increase your cost of attendance by a total of $2,500 during your academic career. In order to process this adjustment, you must print and complete the "Budget Increase for Computer Purchase" appeal form. In an effort to make sure you are given equal consideration, beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year, appropriate documentation in the form of a cancelled check for the purchased products and/or a copy of a credit card statement is required. An invoice for the purchase must also be submitted. Failure to provide adequate documentation means that the appeal will not be considered. It is important to note that the appeal will "reimburse" you after you have made the initial purchase.

If you have additional questions about professional Judgement, you may contact the Financial Aid Office at (303) 315-8364.

If you have extenuating circumstances you would like us to consider, click on the appropriate appeal form. Print the form and attach the requested supporting documentation. Send it to our office. Please allow 6 weeks for processing. You will be notified if the appeal changes your award. If you have not received an award, your appeal will be considered prior to your first award.

Decrease in Income (student, spouse, parent of dependent student)

Increase to Budget ( e.g. medical expenses, child care costs)

Budget Increase for Computer Purchase (cannot exceed $2,500 for the entire academic career)

Other circumstances may exist. Students with circumstances other than those previously mentioned should contact our office.