Request an Adjustment to Your Cost of Attendance

Sometimes adjustments are required to be made to your cost of attendance budget. Some are based on federal regulation while others can be reviewed by Office of Student Aid staff on a case-by-case basis. 

Report Military BAH Benefits

Students living in housing located on a military base or housing for which they receive a military housing allowance (Basic Allowance for Housing or “BAH”) must contact the Office of Student Aid. 

This includes: 

• Independent students who receive or whose spouse receives a BAH or who live on a military base 
• Dependent students who are living with parents who are receiving a BAH or who live on a military base

Increase Requests

Allowable requests include:

• If you purchased a computer for school and have a total of financial aid that already covers your total cost of attendance, please consider contacting the Penn State Office of Student Aid to submit a request for a cost of attendance increase review for a computer purchase. If you can obtain additional aid to cover the cost of a computer purchase, this increase will ensure that any existing financial aid award is not impacted. 
• If your on-campus food and/or housing expenses exceed your food and housing budget, and you have financial aid that already covers your total cost of attendance, please consider contacting OSA for a food and/or housing cost of attendance increase review. If you can obtain additional aid, this increase will ensure that any existing financial aid award is not impacted. 

Have additional school-related eligible expenses that your standard COA does not cover? Contact us for a review.

Special Circumstance

If your family’s financial situation has changed since you have submitted your most recent FAFSA, you may be eligible for additional financial aid through a special circumstance evaluation. See if you may meet the requirements for a Special Circumstance review.