📝 Your Appeal Details

The more specific you are below, the more specific — and persuasive — your letter will be.

School name

Reason for your appeal

Total cost of attendance (per year, $) Tuition + room & board + fees, before any aid

Financial aid offered so far (per year, $) Grants + scholarships + loans in your current offer

Competing school name

Competing offer amount (per year, $)

Tell us what's actually going on, in your own words

0 / 2000

Drafting your letter…

Your Draft Letter

Read it over, add your name and any specifics we didn't have, and attach any supporting documentation your reason mentions before sending.

How to actually use this letter

This draft gets you past the blank page, but three things separate a letter that works from one that gets ignored: send it to the right person (usually a named financial aid counselor, not a general inbox, if you can find one), attach real documentation for whatever you're claiming (a layoff letter, a medical bill, a competing offer letter — not just your word), and follow up by phone a week later if you haven't heard back.

What actually moves the needle in an appeal

Specific dollar amounts and dates, not vague statements about "financial difficulty"
A documented change that happened after you filed the FAFSA, not a situation that was already true when you applied
A clear, single ask — a dollar figure or "please match this offer," not an open-ended request
Real documentation attached, even a one-page letter from an employer or doctor

⚠️ Before you send anything

This tool drafts language based only on what you enter — it can't verify your situation, check your specific school's appeal process, or guarantee any outcome. Review it carefully, correct anything that isn't quite right, and check your school's financial aid website for their specific appeal submission process before sending.

Frequently asked questions

Will this actually work?

There's no guarantee with any appeal — outcomes depend on your specific school's aid budget and policies. But a specific, well-documented appeal with a clear ask consistently outperforms a vague one, and schools do have discretionary funds set aside specifically for exactly this kind of adjustment.

Is this the same as a FAFSA correction?

No. A FAFSA correction updates factual errors on the form itself. This is a "professional judgment" or "special circumstances" appeal — a direct request to your school's financial aid office to use their discretion to adjust your award based on circumstances the standard formula doesn't capture.

Do I need to attach proof?

Generally yes — a layoff notice, a pay stub showing reduced hours, a medical bill, or a written competing offer. Letters with documentation are taken far more seriously than letters with claims alone.

Is my information stored anywhere?

What you type is sent only to generate your letter and isn't saved or added to any list. Nothing here requires an account or email address.