OUHSC Financial Aid and the US Department of Education understand that there are often changes in circumstances that affect a student’s financial situation. This can result in a difference between the income reflected on the FAFSA and the current income available to a student and their family.

If you have encountered a recent change in household size, or the loss of employment, we may be able to attempt a recalculation of your FAFSA information with documentation of the changes that have occurred.

The Student Financial Aid is available to advise students and their families regarding the option to attempt a recalculation of their 2024-2025 FAFSA. It is recommended that you follow these steps:

1. Carefully review the request form linked below according to your change of circumstance.

For income loss or changes that occurred after January 1, 2023:

Dependent Student Projected Income Request form

Independent Student Projected Income Request form

2. Collect all required documentation listed on the request forms.

3. Contact the Financial Aid office if you have questions as you are completing the request form and collecting documents.  405-271-2118 or Financial-Aid@ouhsc.edu.

4. Submit complete packets of the request form and all documentation to the Student Financial Aid office.  Contact information is included on the top of the request form.  Incomplete submissions will be denied.

Be advised that the review and recalculation may take up to two weeks. Delays may occur during our peak financial aid processing seasons for processing. Students should watch their OUHSC email for updates or additional requests in case more information is required after the initial review. The recalculation of income will not always produce additional federal aid options. Updating the FAFSA details may produce additional unmet financial need that can allow students to become eligible for other aid options.

Financial aid legislation passed by Congress established the criteria to be considered independent for the 2024-2025 school year. A student who does not meet any of these criteria must be considered a "dependent" student for financial aid purposes, which means the student is required by law to report parent income information on the financial aid application.   Although reporting parent income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not obligate a parent to provide financial support, it must be reported to be able to calculate the student's eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, Subsidized Stafford Loan, etc.  Students who report parent income on the FAFSA and who do not demonstrate financial need may be offered a Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

Keep in mind the following examples are not options when considering a dependency override:

1. Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
2. Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification.
3. Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
4. Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

If you wish to be considered for a Dependency Override because you have special circumstances, such as parental abandonment or abuse, death of the responsible parent, or have been supported by someone other than your parent(s) for several years, you must document your situation in writing by providing the following:   

1) A signed letter from yourself explaining the situation; 

2) A signed letter from a relative or family friend; 

3) A signed letter from a third party (counselor, minister, or teacher) explaining the situation;

 4) A copy of your most recent federal income tax return, if you filed one;

Your letter should address the state of the relationship between you and your parents, their whereabouts, where you have lived for at least the past 12 months and how you have supported yourself. The supporting letters should do the same and include the author's address, relationship to you, email address and daytime phone number.

Documentation can be sent to the Financial Aid Office at:

865 Research Parkway
Room 240
Oklahoma City, OK
405/271-2118
Financial-Aid@ouhsc.edu

Lead Financial Aid Specialists can decide if a student’s marital status needs to be updated on a case-by-case basis. This change is made to ensure the FAFSA accurately reflects the student’s ability to pay for their education.

Important Deadlines:

• The office will stop processing these requests after the first disbursement of aid for the academic year or by the end of the add/drop period of the first term, whichever comes first.

Required Documentation:

• Dependent Student Marital Status Update Request Form 
• Marriage License 
• 2024-25 Independent Verification Worksheet
• 2022 IRS Tax Transcript and W-2 Forms 
• Spouse’s 2022 IRS Tax Transcript and W-2 Forms 
  • If you or your spouse did not file a tax return for 2022, complete and submit a Statement of Non-filing.

All completed forms can be emailed to Financial-Aid@ouhsc.edu.