Penn Financial Aid Appeals

Penn Financial Aid Appeals

Policy and Philosophy

At Penn, we believe that a student’s education is a shared investment between the student, their family, and the University.  All undergraduate financial aid is awarded based solely on financial need—we do not offer merit-based scholarships for academic or athletic performance.

Penn meets 100% of demonstrated financial need through aid packages that include grant funding and work-study, helping families across a wide range of income levels. These awards meet demonstrated financial need without the use of loans.  Both parents are part of the financial aid process, and our initial offer represents our best assessment of a family’s financial need based on the information available at the time of application.

We understand that financial situations can change. The financial aid appeal process allows students and families to share new or updated information that may affect their aid eligibility. While not all circumstances can be considered, and some changes may only be reviewed in the following academic year, our goal is to ensure that each family’s situation is evaluated equitably.


Please note that submitting an appeal does not guarantee a change to your financial aid award.

 

Permissible Reasons for Appeal

Appeals are generally reviewed in cases of significant and involuntary changes to a family’s financial situation, including:

  • Involuntary loss of employment
  • Divorce or separation of parents
  • Death of a parent or stepparent
  • Uninsured medical expenses (for immediate family members only)

 

What We Already Consider

Many common family circumstances are already factored into Penn’s need-based aid assessment, including:

  • Number of siblings simultaneously enrolled in a full-time undergrad program
  • Income protections and allowances (for standard living and medical expenses)
  • Household size, which may include grandparents or graduated siblings
  • Cost of living adjustments
  • Taxes paid, including property taxes
  • Mortgage or rent expenses

Traditional retirement savings are not included in our financial aid assessment.

 

What We Cannot Consider

Certain circumstances are not eligible for reconsideration through the appeal process, including:

  • Loss of business income
  • Parent’s educational debt (new or existing)
  • Consumer or personal debt
  • Job loss lasting less than six months
  • Financial support to family living abroad
  • Ineligibility for the Quaker Commitment
  • Non-traditional retirement savings (i.e. outside of 401k or 403b or Pension plans, etc.)  or investment changes
  • Currency exchange rate changes after submission of financial aid application

 

Process

If you are experiencing a circumstance which you feel meets the criteria for an appeal, please reach out to the Student Service Center. Our team will help to determine if your circumstances are applicable and you will be put in touch with a Student Financial Aid counselor who can best guide you into the next steps.

If an SFA counselor determines your circumstance to be applicable, they will send you our Financial Aid Appeal Form to be completed and submitted back to us with the required supporting documentation.

Appeals are typically reviewed and processed within 2–3 weeks after all required documentation has been submitted.

 

Additional Financial Resources

If your appeal does not result in additional grant funding, you may wish to explore Penn’s payment plan and loan options:

 

Financing and Payment Plans – Student Registration & Financial Services