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    • Financial Aid Appeals

    Scholarships & Financial Aid

    Financial Aid Appeals

    If you plan to appeal your financial aid eligibility, UT must receive all appeal documentation at least 14 days before the last day of classes for the semester you are appealing.

    View Academic Calendar

    Appeals Deadlines

    If you file an appeal, please do not use original documents, as we are unable to return documents after they are submitted.

    If you have extenuating circumstances, you may appeal the decision that you are no longer eligible for financial aid.

    Deadline to File Appeals

    DateTerm
    April 18, 2025Spring 2025
    July 24, 2025Summer 2025
    November 13, 2025Fall 2025
    April 17, 2026Spring 2026
    July 23, 2026Summer 2026

    Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeals

    If you’ve lost eligibility for federal financial aid because you didn’t meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, don’t panic — we’ve got your back. You’ll receive an official email from us with the details, including how to submit an appeal to get back on track. 

    Remember: You must submit your full appeal at least 14 days before the last day of classes for the term you’re appealing. 

    How to Start Your SAP Appeal

    1. Go to MyUTK
      • Log in with your NetID and password
    2. Find Your Financial Aid Information
      • Look for “TN HOPE, SAP & Requirements” under the My Financial Information section
    3. First-Time Setup: CampusLogic
      • Accessing the financial aid portal (CampusLogic) for the first time? You’ll need to activate your account using:
        • First and Last Name
        • Date of Birth
        • Social Security Number
      • Important: This information must match exactly what you entered on your FAFSA.

    What You’ll Need to Submit

    Incomplete SAP appeals will not be reviewed, so be sure to upload all of the following to the financial aid portal:

    • SAP Appeal Form + Personal Statement
      • Your personal statement should explain:
        • What happened: The specific situation that affected your academic progress
        • What’s changed: How you’re planning to improve and succeed moving forward
      • Supporting Documents
        • Provide documentation that supports your personal statement. Examples include:
          • Medical records
          • Legal documents
          • Obituaries
          • Letters from doctors, counselors, or other professionals
      • Academic Plan
        • Created with your academic advisor, this plan should:
          • Cover your courses from the semester of appeal through graduation (if your advisor can’t map out a full plan through graduation, they must provide an explanation)
          • Be signed by your advisor
          • Match the classes you’re currently registered for

    What Happens Next?

    Once your materials are submitted, the SAP Appeal Committee will review them. You’ll get an email update:

    • If more information is needed, or
    • When a final decision has been made

    Special Circumstances Appeals

    Students may appeal their financial aid eligibility if they have unique financial circumstances.

    Financial aid eligibility for each academic year is calculated based on the information you provided on the FAFSA. The income and asset information that you submitted is evaluated by a formula called Federal Methodology as set by Congress. This formula assumes that prior year income is a good predictor of the family’s financial strength during the student’s enrollment. Example: 2021 tax return information would be used to determine financial aid eligibility for the 2023-2024 academic year.

    What types of situations can I submit an appeal for?

    Situations that may merit appeal include, but are not limited to:

    • Loss or change of employment
    • Loss or change in amount of child support, Social Security, or other benefits
    • Divorce or separation of parents
    • Death of parent(s)
    • Unusual medical expenses (not covered by insurance)
    • One-time taxable income used for life changing events (e.g. IRA, pension distribution, back-year Social Security payments)
    • Parent retired
    • Marriage of the student

    Situations that do NOT merit appeal include, but are not limited to:

    • Standard living expenses (e.g. utilities, credit card payments, children’s allowances, etc.)
    • Mortgage payments
    • Car payments
    • Credit card or other personal debts
    • Vacation expenses
    • All other discretionary expenses

    How do I submit an appeal?

    Use the Vol Connect Portal to submit a detailed explanation of your situation to the One Stop team. A Financial Aid Counselor will review your case and determine if you should submit your appeal.

    If the Financial Aid Counselor determines that you are eligible to submit this appeal, they will update your account with the list of documents required for the type of appeal you request. When all requested documentation has been received, your appeal will be reviewed by the Appeal Committee.

    Please note that changes that occur in the 2024 tax year will not be reviewed until the 2024 taxes are available and a tax return transcript along with all 2024 W-2s and/or 1099s can be provided for student and parent (or student’s spouse).

    What happens if my appeal is approved?

    Your FAFSA and financial aid (if required) will be updated according to the Appeal Committee’s findings. Please note that an approved appeal is not a guarantee of additional financial aid.

    What happens if my appeal is denied?

    Appeal results are final. Your appeal will be closed and will not be reviewed again by the Appeal Committee unless you can provide additional documentation that was not submitted with the original appeal.

    Dependency Appeals

    If you have a severe situation that has resulted in the breakdown of your family support unit, you may be able to appeal your dependency status to see if you can be considered an independent student.

    What types of situations can I submit an appeal for?

    Situations that may merit appeal include, but are not limited to:

    • Physical or emotional abuse
    • Severe estrangement
    • Abandonment
    • Parental drug abuse
    • Parental mental incapacity
    • Parental incarceration

    Situations that do NOT merit appeal include, but are not limited to:

    • Self-sufficiency
    • Unwillingness of the parent(s)/stepparent(s) to assist you financially
    • Parent(s) do not claim student as dependent on tax return
    • Reluctance to request information from parent(s)/stepparent(s)

    How do I submit an appeal?

    Use the Vol Connect Portal to submit a detailed explanation of your situation to the One Stop team. A Financial Aid Counselor will review your case and determine if you should submit your appeal.

    If the Financial Aid Counselor determines that you are eligible to submit this appeal, they will update your account with the list of documents required for the type of appeal you request. When all requested documentation has been received, your appeal will be reviewed by the Appeal Committee.

    What happens if my appeal is approved?

    Your FAFSA and financial aid (if required) will be updated according to the Appeal Committee’s findings. Please note that an approved appeal is not a guarantee of additional financial aid.

    What happens if my appeal is denied?

    Appeal results are final. Your appeal will be closed and will not be reviewed again by the Appeal Committee unless you can provide additional documentation that was not submitted with the original appeal.

    Budget Increase Appeals

    Some students may need their budget increased to allow for additional funding.

    What types of situations can I submit an appeal for?

    Situations that may merit appeal include, but are not limited to:

    • Childcare expenses
    • Computer purchase (one time only)
    • Internship/student teaching expenses
    • Medical expenses (one time per academic year)
    • Additional books and supplies
    • Study abroad expenses

    Situations that do NOT merit appeal include, but are not limited to:

    • Expenses for which you have already been reimbursed or will be reimbursed
    • Expenses that do not exceed the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship’s standard allowance
    • Expenses incurred while you were not enrolled at UT

    How do I submit an appeal?

    Use the Vol Connect Portal to submit a detailed explanation of your situation to the One Stop team. A Financial Aid Counselor will review your case and determine if you should submit your appeal.

    If the Financial Aid Counselor determines that you are eligible to submit this appeal, they will update your account with the list of documents required for the type of appeal you request. When all requested documentation has been received, your appeal will be reviewed by the Appeal Committee.

    What happens if my appeal is approved?

    Your FAFSA and financial aid (if required) will be updated according to the Appeal Committee’s findings. Please note that an approved appeal is not a guarantee of additional financial aid.

    What happens if my appeal is denied?

    Appeal results are final. Your appeal will be closed and will not be reviewed again by the Appeal Committee unless you can provide additional documentation that was not submitted with the original appeal.