Professional Judgement Policy

Professional Judgment Policy  

A Professional Judgment for federal student aid is a process that allows a student’s estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) to be reviewed and potentially increased. An approved adjustment may increase the amount a student is eligible to borrow through Federal Direct Loans or private loans. The Department of Education permits financial aid administrators to exercise professional judgment for COA adjustments on a case-by-case basis within the bounds of federal regulation.  

 A student may request this adjustment to support necessary expenses such as medical costs, dependent care, or housing costs in excess of the estimate. The goal of an adjustment is to ensure that a student’s financial aid package accurately reflects their actual expenses related to pursuing a Starr King education, especially those not covered by the standard COA. 

 A student may request professional judgment on the basis of special and/or unusual circumstances. Special circumstances refer to financial situations that justify a financial aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) calculation. Unusual circumstances refer to conditions that justify a financial aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation such as parental abandonment or refugee status. 

Please note that a COA adjustment is not guaranteed and is subject to the exercise of professional judgment by FA Solutions, who serve as SKSM’s financial aid administrator. In many cases, adjustments do not result in significant changes to the Student Aid Index and do not, therefore, alter a student’s financial aid package. 

Eligible Expenses  
COA adjustments may be considered for the following: 

• Housing and food costs that exceed the amount budgeted in the standard COA
• Dependent care expenses 
• One-time computer purchase for academic purposes 
• Non-elective and uninsured medical expenses 
• Disability-related expenses that are reasonably incurred and not provided by other agencies 

Ineligible Expenses  
COA adjustments will not be considered for: 

• Vehicle payments
• Credit card payments
• Loan repayment 
• Interview-related expenses 
• Expenses that occur outside the enrollment period (September – May for a full academic year or February – May for a spring term) 

Supporting Documentation 
Schools receiving federal student aid must ensure that supporting documentation substantiates a student’s circumstances. Examples of supporting documentation include: 

• Notice of severance/unemployment benefits or termination letter 
• Termination of benefits letter from a state/federal agency 
• A signed lease agreement or mortgage 
• Receipt or order form for a computer 
• A medical billing statement or estimate 
• Invoice(s) or contract for childcare services 
• Documentation of disability diagnosis and related costs 

Submission and Professional Judgment  
A student who seeks a COA adjustment must email financialaid@sksm.edu to request a Professional Judgment Form. Complete and sign the form and return it to the same email address with: 

• A letter of explanation 
• All required/relevant supporting documentation 

Please allow 1-2 weeks for a determination of outcome. A professional judgment by the financial aid administrator is considered final and is not subject to override by SKSM or the Department of Education.