Each student has the right to appeal their financial aid decision. Appeals should only be based on new or changing information which was not included in the original financial aid application.
Appeal applications must be accompanied by supporting documentation.
Each student has the right to appeal their financial aid decision. Appeals should only be based on new or changing information which was not included in the original financial aid application.
Federal regulations give Suffolk's financial aid office the ability to adjust a student's FAFSA using professional judgment at the request of a student based on their special or unusual circumstances. This can allow our financial aid counselors to review documents and make updates to the FAFSA accordingly in order to increase a student's eligibility for federal and state aid. These determinations are made on a case-by-case basis.
Definitions from the Department of Education include:
- Cost of attendance (COA) increase requests refer to additional costs incurred by the student based on their enrollment that are not included in the basic COA stipulated for each academic year
These can include expenses for dependent childcare, purchase of a computer, and other extraordinary education related expenses
- Special Circumstances refer to financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the cost of attendance COA or in the EFC calculation
- Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student's dependency status based on a unique situation (e.g., human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abandonment, incarceration), more commonly referred to as a dependency override
To initiate a request for unusual circumstances or cost of attendance increases, please contact your financial aid counselor.
Counselors will review the student's financial situation and documents but changes to FAFSA and additional aid are not guaranteed. Any additional funding received through the appeal process may not be renewable every year.
Please note: Suffolk University does not match aid offers from other institutions.
Students are awarded Title IV funding (federal aid) with the assumption they will attend the entire period for which aid was awarded, typically a semester or term.
Federal Aid Recipients
If a student wishes to withdraw or take a leave of absence from a term, the student must contact the Office of Student Affairs to complete the appropriate forms. The date the student contacts Student Affairs is the official withdrawal date. This process also applies to students who drop all of their classes for the semester.
Federal regulations require that any student awarded Title IV assistance who takes a leave of absence or withdraws is subject to a Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation. This calculation is based on the official withdrawal date as determined by Student Affairs and can result in an adjustment to Title IV funding. The calculation is based on the percentage of Title IV aid earned by determining the number of days the student completed as a percentage of the number of days the student was expected to complete. Students are considered to have earned 100% of their Title IV aid if they are in attendance through 60% of the term. Unearned title IV funds need to be returned to the appropriate federal programs which may result in the student owing a balance to the university.
Title IV funds are returned in a specific order:
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan
- Subsidized Federal Direct Loan
- Federal PLUS Loan (Parent or Graduate)
- Federal Pell Grant
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
- Federal SEOG
If a student is enrolled exclusively in courses that do not span the entire semester, that student is considered to be enrolled in modular courses. As of Fall 2020, students who are enrolled in modular courses are not considered to have withdrawn if they successfully complete one module that includes 49% or more of the number of days in the payment period; or a combination of modules that when combined contain 49% or more of the number of days in the payment period. Scheduled breaks of five or more consecutive days and all days between modules are excluded from the number of days in the payment period used to calculate whether the modules(s) completed by the student comprise 49% of the payment period.
Massachusetts State Grant Recipients
Under Massachusetts regulations, students who do not complete the term may be subject to return of state funds. Similar to the federal guidelines, students earn their state aid while in attendance. To determine the amount a student is allowed to retain, the percentage of the term completed and the student balance with the University is considered.
Institutional Aid Recipients
Institutional aid is disbursed to a student’s account after the student incurs 100% tuition liability. This usually occurs after the add/drop period and the last day to drop a class without a ‘W’ grade. If a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence prior to this date, all institutional aid is returned. Once a student incurs 100% tuition liability, no adjustment is made to institutional aid.
Unofficial Withdrawals
At the end of the semester, The Office of Student Financial Services is notified of any student who did not complete any classes for which the student was registered. Students who cease to attend and do not earn any credit for the term are considered unofficial withdrawals. Unofficial withdrawals are also subject to the R2T4 calculation.
Suffolk University has options for aid for sessions that take place outside of the traditional school year.
Summer
Historically, the majority of funding available for summer study is in the form of federal and alternative loans. In very limited circumstances, undergraduate students may be eligible for Federal Pell Grant consideration.
The summer term is the first term of the academic year when determining aid eligibility. To apply for federal loans for summer 2026, the 2026-2027 FAFSA is required. All students who submit a FAFSA and enroll at least half time in the summer will be considered for Federal Direct Loan eligibility.
If a student is enrolling less than half time or if additional loan funding is needed, alternative loans may be an option.
Winter
For financial aid purposes, enrollment in Suffolk University’s winter session will be combined with the spring term of the academic year. Hours completed during the winter session will count towards a student’s enrollment status for the spring term and costs for the winter session will be included in the spring cost of attendance.
