Writing a financial aid appeal letter is one of the last steps toward finishing the college application process. The school has already accepted you based on your application, and now, it’s time for you to make your decision. A lot of that decision, rightfully, might be based on how much financial aid and scholarship help the school offers. Writing a financial aid appeal letter can help you attend the college of your choice with financial confidence. In this article, we will be discussing what a financial aid appeal letter is, why you might write one, how to structure it in four paragraphs, and some other useful tips to help you along the way.
What is a Financial Aid Appeal Letter?
A financial aid appeal letter is exactly what it sounds like: a letter written by you to your target school, asking (appealing) for an increase in your financial aid based on circumstances that the school hasn’t considered. Writing this letter gives you a chance to indicate your continued interest in the school, explain your reasons behind needing more financial aid, and work toward a solution. When the financial aid office gets a hold of this letter, they can begin the process of reassessing your financial aid and hopefully getting you more assistance, should you choose to attend their school.
Why Would You Write a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
The number one reason to write a financial aid appeal letter is because the financial aid offer you received from the school in question isn’t enough for you to afford attending.
By this point, the school has already taken into account the information in your FAFSA application and provided an aid package. However, the financial aid office isn’t aware of any significant financial changes that may have occurred since the application was submitted. Writing a financial aid appeal letter is your best chance to explain any changes of life events that may have occurred and ask the school to reconsider based on the new information. Some changes may include:
- Recent unemployment in your family
- Decrease in income or significant income change
- Death of a parent
- Loss of resources from a natural disaster
- New medical expenses
Reasons extend beyond this list, and you’re encouraged to write about anything that has significantly affected your financial situation. However, it’s generally inadvisable for you to write about a change that was within your family’s control, like lifestyle expenses.
It could also be the case that other schools have simply offered you more competitive financial aid packages. The financial aid appeal letter is a great place to demonstrate that, should the school in question not reconsider, you have other options.
Financial Aid Appeal Letter: Four-Paragraph Structure
Before we get into the paragraphs, the financial aid appeal letter should ideally be addressed to a specific person in the financial aid office.
In today’s complex digital landscape, that person can be very hard to find. I advise you to give the financial aid webpage of the school a thorough look-through for anyone you could address the letter to, but if you can’t find anyone, it’s perfectly fine to address the letter to the financial aid office itself using the email that will almost definitely be supplied on that same webpage.
You might also want to consider emailing the financial aid office to ask who will receive your financial aid appeal letter. Your recipient may also be the admissions rep that oversees your high school.
Paragraph 1: Respect and Appreciation
One of the most important parts of writing a financial aid appeal letter is to maintain a respectful tone. Right off the bat, you want to make sure that the school knows that you appreciate their offer and that you are interested in attending.
After thanking the school for the offer and demonstrating your interest in the school, it’s time to let the school know that the aid package isn’t enough. This is where you’ll segue to details (with dates and dollar amounts, if possible) regarding the special circumstances the school hasn’t considered.
If you only have one circumstance, take a sentence or two to detail it. If you have more than one circumstance, it may be better to go the route of a bulleted list with the most significant item on top. Financial aid officers read a lot of these, so make sure you state your circumstances in a clear and easy-to-understand way.
Paragraph 2: The Other Schools
In this paragraph, explain to the the school that there are other offers from other universities you’re considering based on the aid they’ve offered you. It may be worthwhile to indicate that you don’t like these schools nearly as much as you like the school in question, but you may have to go with them given the financial considerations. Similar to the advice provided about listing the circumstances, if there is only one other school you’re considering, work that in as a sentence. If there’s more than one school, consider opting for a bulleted list.
Paragraph 3: A Request to Reconsider
Maintaining a respectful tone, use this paragraph to make a request for the school to reconsider. Language is incredibly important here—saying that you “deserve more” will be taken differently than saying you’d appreciate it if the school “took your updated situation into consideration.” We also advise against requesting a specific amount of money. Instead, simply ask for the school to review what you’ve shared with them. In short, you want to share that you love this school and definitely want to join the campus community if the offer provided is reconsidered.
Paragraph 4: Final Thank You
This paragraph will be shorter than the rest and should be a place for you to simply thank your addressee for taking the time to review your request. A lot can get lost or misconstrued over email, so this would also be a helpful place to indicate your ability to discuss things over the phone, if needed. It would also be worth indicating that you’re expecting a response by simply stating that you look forward to hearing from them or something similar.
Other Tips in Writing a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
Hold back on your deposit: College Decision Day isn’t until May 1. If you’re juggling multiple financial aid offers, wait until you have a clear picture of your college finances.
Appeal as soon as you can: There is no perfect time to appeal, but as with most things, you’ll want to avoid doing it right before the deadline. Also, if your financial needs change after you’ve already signed on, don’t hesitate to give the financial aid office the full picture of your situation.
Follow up: Financial aid offices receive a lot of these letters, and, unfortunately, it’s possible for emails to be lost along the way. If you don’t hear anything back after a week, make sure to check in to confirm receipt and ask if they need any more information.
Conclusion
Writing a financial aid appeal letter doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By breaking it down into four clear paragraphs, you can effectively communicate your situation, highlight your need, and provide the necessary supporting details. Remember to keep your tone respectful, honest, and professional.
Need more personalized guidance? Schedule a one-on-one consultation today to get expert help with crafting the perfect appeal letter and every other part of your application journey.
