University of Nebraska Kearney

Writing a Financial Aid Suspension Appeal

If your financial aid eligibility has been suspended due to not meeting UNK's Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, and if you feel there were mitigating circumstances that impacted your ability to do well in the classroom, you can appeal the suspension. Mitigating circumstances might include an illness, injury, personal struggle, family difficulty or other reasons. When you are notified of your suspension you will be told about the right to appeal.

If you are planning to appeal a financial aid suspension, here are some guidelines for writing your appeal letter:

1. First Paragraph: Explain your understanding of the reasons you have been suspended. Suspension occurs after two semesters of not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, so your appeal should address both semesters. If you are not sure why you went on warning status and then suspension please contact our office so that you will be able to address the right circumstances in your letter. Please keep in mind that circumstances such as not getting along with your professor or not liking the class are not valid reasons for appeal.
   
    
2. Supporting Documentation: It is highly suggested that you provide documentation to support your appeal. Some examples of documentation include:       
• If you had an illness or injury, you can include a note from your doctor or even medical records. Keep in mind that obtaining medical records may take some time, so you'll want to plan ahead if you know you are going to submit an appeal.    
• If there was a death in your family, you can submit the obituary from the newspaper or the link to it on the internet.    
• If you and your professor are in the process of having a grade changed, we will need documentation from that professor stating the circumstance.
  
   
3. Second Paragraph: Explain, in detail, your plan for completing your college career by meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Some examples of items you might incude in your plan are:  
• Taking fewer hours so you have more time to concentrate on the classes you are taking.
• Changing your major because you’ve found out it’s not for you.
  
   
4. Document Your Plan For Success: Have your academic advisor or a faculty member confirm your plans to meet the standards of progress.

Please sign and date your appeal letter before submitting it to our office. Once complete, your appeal letter and supporting documentation should be addressed to the Office of Financial Aid Appeal Committee and can be dropped off at our office or sent to:

Mail:         University of Nebraska Kearney
                Financial Aid Office
                905 W 25^th St
                Kearney, NE  68849

Fax:         308.865.8096

Email:      finaid1@unk.edu