How can I request a change to my college financial aid package?
SwiftStudent will help you write a financial aid appeal letter - for free.
SwiftStudent helps students understand the financial aid appeal process
SwiftStudent addresses the barriers students face — and saves time for financial aid officers.
SwiftStudent offers students:
- a way to start the appeal conversation with financial aid officers
- clear information about financial aid requirements
- customizable template letters to help you share your situation with your school
SwiftStudent offers financial aid officers:
- a free resource to enhance your existing appeals process
- a path to receiving clear aid requests aligned with federal requirements
- customizable template letters for students that will enable easier evaluation
SwiftStudent does not share or sell your information.
SwiftStudent's partners include leading higher education organizations across the United States.
What's an appeal?
If you are a college student receiving federal financial aid to attend school, you can submit an appeal or a request to your school to adjust your financial aid package. A financial aid appeal or request is available to qualifying students at all types of institutions (Graduate, 4-year, 2-year and trade) offering federal financial aid.
Federal law allows your financial aid office to make changes to your financial aid package under certain circumstances. Each school has its own processes and requirements. If your financial aid office accepts an appeal or a request, your financial aid package may change in one of the following ways:
- Your cost of attendance (COA) may go up
- Your expected family contribution (EFC) may go down.
- You may receive an emergency cash grant
Due to COVID-19, new emergency financial aid funding as part of the CARES Act may be available to students who inquire about aid through their schools. Emergency aid funds will be distributed to students whose inquiries or requests are approved by their institutions. The department which handles the review and disbursement of these funds may differ from institution to institution.
It is also possible that none of these changes will occur, but that the financial aid office may remind you of grant aid or federal loans that are available under your original financial aid package.
What is my cost of attendance? What happens if my COA changes?
Your cost of attendance is the school's estimate of your educational expenses for the year, and it includes direct costs (tuition, fees and books) and indirect costs (housing, transportation and food). Federal law states that your financial aid, which may include grants and loans, cannot exceed your cost of attendance. In special circumstances, the financial aid office can increase a student's cost of attendance to accommodate additional expenses that students might have.
If your financial aid office increases your cost of attendance in response to your financial aid appeal, you may be able to take out additional federal loans or receive additional scholarships. If you are offered a loan, it's important to consider the type of loan and how the amount will help you reach educational goals.
What is an expected family contribution? What happens if my EFC changes?
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measure of your family's financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. Your family's taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) all could be considered in the formula. The formula also considers your family size and the number of family members attending college or career school.
The information you report on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to calculate your EFC. Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. It is a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.
If your financial aid office lowers your EFC in response to your financial aid appeal, you may be able to take out additional federal loans or receive additional scholarships. If you are offered a loan, it's important to consider the type of loan and how the amount will help you reach educational goals.
How do I know whether I will be offered a grant or a loan?
The only way to determine your options is to start the conversation with your school's financial aid office. Each student is different, and financial aid practices are different at each school. You can reach out to your financial aid office directly, or you can start the process with a free SwiftStudent form letter.
Start my appeal
Eligibility, supporting documents, and letter templates vary by appeal type.
Check out the free guidance and templates below and select the one that best fits your circumstances. All of these templates are designed for students currently receiving or applying for federal financial aid. Even if your appeal is not accepted, your school's financial aid officers may be able to direct you to other resources once they better understand your situation. Want to learn more about how appeals work?
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SwiftStudent also has templates for individuals writing in support of a student's appeal request.
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FormSwift & Student Data FAQ
FAQ For Students
What is SwiftStudent?
SwiftStudent is the only free, digital resource that provides financial aid appeal letter templates for students.
Through SwiftStudent, students can learn about the financial aid appeal process, review eligibility requirements for making an appeal, and customize a financial aid appeal to start the conversation with your college financial aid office.
How much does it cost to use SwiftStudent?
FormSwift and the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation have committed to providing all SwiftStudent tools and content for free.
Will my school accept SwiftStudent letters?
It is always best to use the official application or form provided by your school, if there is one available. Check out the SwiftStudent guidance to learn about your appeal options, then visit your school's financial aid website. Some schools have online forms, some schools have walk-in hours and others have appointment only options.
If your school does not offer an online form or you cannot reach out to the financial aid office during business hours, you can start the conversation by using one of the free SwiftStudent template letters, and submitting it to your financial aid office.
SwiftStudent will help you start the conversation with your financial aid office. If you submit a letter using the template that includes supporting documentation, some schools may consider your application complete. Others may need additional documents or information to make a decision. For many students, submitting a successful appeal can be a two-step process.
How do I submit financial aid appeals through SwiftStudent?
You can download your letter and email it with supporting documents to your financial aid office. You can print your letter and deliver it to your financial aid office with copies of your supporting documents.
Does SwiftStudent guarantee that students get additional financial aid?
No. While the SwiftStudent letters help students to share their stories with their schools, students must still assemble supporting documentation. As with any appeal or request, approval depends on the professional judgement of the financial aid officer. SwiftStudent does not guarantee approval for students; the purpose of the free site is to help students understand how the appeal process works and submit clear letters to their financial aid offices.
When will the financial aid office get back to me?
It may take the financial aid office some time to evaluate your request. Processing times vary from days to weeks. You should follow up with the financial aid office regularly and check your official school email address every day after submitting an appeal. Many schools will only communicate updates to your school email address.
Will my financial aid appeal get approved? What happens after I submit my appeal to the financial aid office?
There is no guarantee that your school will adjust your financial package; every student's situation is different, and policies vary by school. Your financial aid office may need additional documents or information to make a decision. Make sure to check your official school email address every day so that you don't miss a response from your financial aid office. You can also reach out to your financial aid office to check on the status of your request.
If your request is approved, the financial aid office will share how much more aid you can expect to receive, if any. If you are offered a loan, it's important to consider the type of loan and how the amount will help you reach educational goals.
If your request is denied, it doesn't mean you're out of options. Ask your financial aid office why the request was denied and what other community or institutional resources are available.
To learn more about how appeals work, click here.
What type of financial aid appeal letters are available through SwiftStudent?
You can view our full list of topics here. Remember, if you don't see a letter that fits your situation, you should reach out to your school's financial aid office and ask for help.
I'm homeless. Which letter do I use?
You should consider this one, this one or this one.
I'm a current/former foster kid. Which letter do I use?
You should consider this one, this one or this one.
My parents are incarcerated. Which letter do I use?
You should consider this one, this one or this one.
My parents won't contribute information for my FAFSA. Which letter do I use?
You should consider this one or this one.
I'm LGBT and now my family isn't providing financial support. Which letter do I use?
You should consider this one or this one.
I can't submit any of these letters or forms due to my or my family's immigration status. What should I do?
You should reach out to your school by phone. If you feel that there is a status issue for you or your family, please contact your advisor directly by phone or in person.
Who created SwiftStudent?
The content for SwiftStudent was organized by the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation in partnership with students; financial aid officers; college counselors; and other experts from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA); Achieving the Dream; Everett Community College; Generation Hope; Higher Learning Advocates; Hope Center for College, Community and Justice; Indian River Community College; Institute for Women's Policy Research; Montgomery College; National College Attainment Network; National Student Legal Defense Network; New America; Northwest Florida State College; Reach Higher at the Common App; and UAspire.
SwiftStudent is powered by the company FormSwift, a leading provider of tools to help you easily create, edit, and sign any document.
Is FormSwift a for-profit company?
FormSwift is a cloud-based service that enables individuals and businesses to customize, sign, and download popular business, legal, or personal forms. FormSwift generates revenue through monthly user subscriptions. AllSwiftStudent content is available for free, and you do not need to provide any payment information to access SwiftStudent.
Does FormSwift promote paid products to SwiftStudent users?
SwiftStudent users will only be prompted to upgrade to paid accounts when they try to access subscriber-only forms on FormSwift.
Will FormSwift sell or share SwiftStudent data?
No. FormSwift does not share user data with third parties.
FAQ For Financial Aid Offices
What is SwiftStudent?
SwiftStudent is the only free, digital resource that provides financial aid appeal letter templates for students. Through SwiftStudent, students can learn about the financial aid appeal process, review eligibility requirements for making an appeal, and customize a financial aid appeal template to start the conversation with the college financial aid office.
The content for SwiftStudent was organized by the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation in partnership with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA); Achieving the Dream; Everett Community College; Generation Hope; Higher Learning Advocates; Hope Center for College, Community and Justice; Indian River Community College; Institute for Women's Policy Research; Montgomery College; National College Attainment Network; National Student Legal Defense Network; New America; Northwest Florida State College; Reach Higher at the Common App; and U Aspire.
SwiftStudent is powered by the company FormSwift, a leading provider of tools to help you easily create, edit, and sign any document.
How does my school sign-up for SwiftStudent? Is it free?
SwiftStudent is free, and there is no sign-up process. To make SwiftStudent available to your students, all you need to do is share it with them.
You can download our poster and flier, or use these slides for community presentations on financial aid. You can also share our free SwiftStudent worksheet to help your students keep track of their conversations with the financial aid office.
How does SwiftStudent help financial aid offices?
SwiftStudent offers financial aid officers:
- a free resource to enhance your existing appeals process
- a path to receiving clear aid requests aligned with federal requirements
- customizable template letters for students that will enable easier evaluation
All of the content on SwiftStudent was edited by financial aid officers and developed in partnership with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
What type of financial aid appeal letters are available through SwiftStudent?
You can view our full list of topics here. If you would like to recommend additional topics, please reach out to us at swiftstudent@shs.foundation.
Will SwiftStudent appeal letters conflict with my institution's online forms?
SwiftStudent was designed as a resource, not as a replacement for your institution's appeal process.
Through student focus groups, we found that students often don't know where to start when facing a special circumstance that may be difficult to disclose. SwiftStudent directs students to connect with their financial aid office to start the appeal conversation, and to use school-provided forms where available.
How do students submit financial aid appeals through SwiftStudent?
Students download their letters and email it with supporting documents to your financial aid office. They also can print their letter and deliver it to your financial aid office with copies of your supporting documents.
Does SwiftStudent guarantee that students get additional financial aid?
No. While the SwiftStudent letters help students to share their stories with their schools, students must still assemble supporting documentation. As with any appeal or request, approval depends on the professional judgement of the financial aid officer. SwiftStudent does not guarantee approval for students; the purpose of the free site is to help students understand how the appeal process works and submit clear letters to their financial aid offices.
Is FormSwift a for-profit company?
Yes. FormSwift is a cloud-based service that enables individuals and businesses to customize, sign, and download popular business, legal, or personal forms. FormSwift generates revenue through monthly user subscriptions.
All SwiftStudent content is available for free, and you do not need to provide any payment information to access SwiftStudent.
Does FormSwift promote paid products to SwiftStudent users?
SwiftStudent users will only be prompted to upgrade to paid accounts when they try to access subscriber-only forms on FormSwift.
Will FormSwift sell or share SwiftStudent data?
No. FormSwift does not share user data with third parties.
Will you be keeping this site up to date with regulatory changes?
Yes.
FAQ For Parents & College Counselors
What is SwiftStudent?
SwiftStudent is the only free, digital resource that provides financial aid appeal letter templates for students. Through SwiftStudent, students can learn about the financial aid appeal process, review eligibility requirements for making an appeal, and customize a financial aid appeal template to start the conversation with your college financial aid office.
The content for SwiftStudent was organized by the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation in partnership with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA); Achieving the Dream; Everett Community College; Generation Hope; Higher Learning Advocates; Hope Center for College, Community and Justice; Indian River Community College; Institute for Women's Policy Research; Montgomery College; National College Attainment Network; National Student Legal Defense Network; New America; Northwest Florida State College; Reach Higher at the Common App; and U Aspire.
SwiftStudent is powered by the company FormSwift, a leading provider of tools to help you easily create, edit, and sign any document.
What type of financial aid appeal letters are available through SwiftStudent?
You can view our full list of topics here. If you would like to recommend additional topics, please reach out to us at swiftstudent@shs.foundation.
Does SwiftStudent guarantee that students get additional financial aid?
No. While the SwiftStudent letters help students to share their stories with their schools, students must still assemble supporting documentation. As with any appeal or request, approval depends on the professional judgement of the financial aid officer. SwiftStudent does not guarantee approval for students; the purpose of the free site is to help students understand how the appeal process works and submit clear letters to their financial aid offices.
Will all schools accept SwiftStudent letters?
It is always best to use the official application or form provided by each school, if there is one available. Check out the SwiftStudent guidance to learn about appeal options, then visit your school's financial aid website. Some schools have online forms, some schools have walk-in hours and others have appointment only options.
If your school does not offer an online form or you cannot reach out to the financial aid office during business hours, your student can start the conversation by using one of the free SwiftStudent template letters, and submitting it to the financial aid office.
SwiftStudent will help start the conversation with the financial aid office. If your student submits a letter using the template that includes supporting documentation, some schools may consider the application complete. Others may need additional documents or information to make a decision. For many students, submitting a successful appeal can be a two-step process.
How do we know if a financial aid appeal will get approved?
There is no guarantee that a school will adjust a student's financial package; every student's situation is different, and policies vary by school. The financial aid office may need additional documents or information to make a decision. Make sure your students check their official school email address every day so that they don't miss a response from the financial aid office. They can also reach out to the financial aid office to check on the status of their requests.
If the request is approved, the financial aid office will share how much more aid the student can expect to receive, if any. If the student is offered a loan, it's important to consider the type of loan and how the amount will help them reach their educational goals.
If the request is denied, it doesn't mean you're out of options. Ask your financial aid office why the request was denied and what other community or institutional resources are available.
To learn more about how appeals work, click here.
Is FormSwift a for-profit company?
Yes. FormSwift is a cloud-based service that enables individuals and businesses to customize, sign, and download popular business, legal, or personal forms. FormSwift generates revenue through monthly user subscriptions.
All SwiftStudent content is available for free, and you do not need to provide any payment information to access SwiftStudent.
Does FormSwift promote paid products to SwiftStudent users?
SwiftStudent users will only be prompted to upgrade to paid accounts when they try to access subscriber-only forms on FormSwift.
Will FormSwift sell or share SwiftStudent data?
No. FormSwift does not share user data with third parties.
Will you be keeping this site up to date with regulatory changes?
Yes.
About Us
Started in 2020, SwiftStudent is the only free, central repository of financial aid appeals / requests letter templates for students. It is a free, foundation-backed resource designed with college students and financial aid officers.
SwiftStudent is a solution for students who don’t feel empowered with information to advocate for themselves, and financial aid officers with limited capacity to reach all students facing special circumstances that are barriers to their education.
SwiftStudent is powered by the company FormSwift, a leading provider of tools to help you easily create, edit, and sign any document. The content for SwiftStudent was organized by the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation in partnership with students; financial aid officers; college counselors; and other experts from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA); Achieving the Dream; Everett Community College; Generation Hope; Higher Learning Advocates; Hope Center for College, Community and Justice; Indian River Community College; Institute for Women's Policy Research; Montgomery College; National College Attainment Network; National Student Legal Defense Network; New America; Northwest Florida State College; Reach Higher at the Common App; and U Aspire.
Media should contact media@shs.foundation