Financial Aid Appeals

Kalamazoo College rarely reconsiders a financial aid award; however, we understand that some families may experience extraordinary financial obstacles or significant long-term financial setbacks that are not revealed in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In these cases a review by the Office of Financial Aid may be warranted.

Appeal Process

Requesting an Appeal

All financial aid appeals must be made in writing (email, fax or regular mail) to the Kalamazoo College Office of Financial Aid. Please include as much detail as possible in your request, this will help us determine how to proceed as we have different processes depending on the situation. Current international students should contact the Office of Financial Aid to request a Special Circumstances form to complete for their appeal.

Email: finaid@kzoo.edu
Fax: 269.337.7390
Mailing address: Office of Financial Aid, Kalamazoo College, 1200 Academy Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49006

Please note: Kalamazoo College is an NCAA Division III school; therefore, we cannot consider athletics in the financial aid process. Upon arrival, appeals will be screened by the Financial Aid Office process manager who will redact any comments in the correspondence referencing athletics prior to distributing the information to the Appeals Committee.

Professional Judgment

Depending on your situation, you may be eligible for a process called Professional Judgment. This process allows the Office of Financial Aid to re-evaluate financial aid eligibility due to circumstances that are not reflected on the FAFSA.

Special Circumstances refer to changes in financial circumstances, such as:

  • Changes to family income
  • Recent job loss
  • Forced retirement

Unusual Circumstances refer to situations related to a student’s dependency status, such as:

  • Inability to contact parent(s)
  • Parent abandonment or incarceration
  • Contact with parent(s) poses a risk to the student

You can learn more about the Professional Judgment process in a video on our website.

Reviewing Appeals

The Appeals Review Committee meets regularly to consider appeal requests. Depending on your situation the Committee may ask you to provide documentation of the circumstances warranting the appeal. Once a decision has been made, the student will be notified typically in the form of a revised financial aid offer letter. Please note that appeal decisions are final and we will not consider multiple appeal requests.