Financial Aid

For many families, paying for higher education can be a challenge. The Financial Aid Office at Pennsylvania Institute of Technology is ready to assist all qualified students in paying for their education and guide them through the process from start to finish.

The chances are excellent that you qualify for financial aid! More than 92 percent of P.I.T. students receive financial aid in some form — whether grants, loans, or work-study. Beyond financial aid, P.I.T. also offers scholarships, student payment plan options, and has a list of alternative lenders students can apply to as well (see below). The Financial Aid Office will continue to help in every step of the way.

• Click here to view Alternative Lenders
• Check out our net price calculator, which provides an early estimate of how much and what types of financial aid you might be qualified to receive.

Do you need to tell us something the FAFSA could not?

The FAFSA is a tool designed to estimate a family’s ability to pay for college. However, many students and/or families have circumstances that the FAFSA cannot capture in that snapshot, especially since the FAFSA asks for income information for two years prior.

A student may need their dependency status to be overridden or there may have been a change in the student’s or a dependent student’s family financial circumstances. Other students may have unusual educational expenses not accounted for in the Cost of Attendance (COA).

Students with special educational costs, dependency override needs, or changed financial circumstances may be able to benefit from a professional judgement appeal. If you would like to apply for a professional judgement, please contact your Financial Aid Advisor or e-mail fa@pit.edu for further assistance.

What qualifies as a special circumstance for professional judgement?

Circumstances that might qualify as a special circumstance include:

• Parental abuse, neglect, abandonment, incarceration or institutionalization
• Job loss or change in employment
• One time income, such as a one-time withdrawal from a retirement account
• Divorce or separation not reflected on the FAFSA
• Death of a parent or spouse
• Exceptional medical or dental expenses
• Required elementary or secondary tuition costs
• Change in student’s marital status after the completion of the FAFSA
• Educational expenses not accounted for in the Cost of Attendance (CoA): i.e., exceptionally high rent, the purchase of a computer, medical insurance, supplies, travel for internship or coursework, etc.

Examples of what CANNOT be considered a special circumstance:

• Dependent students who are self-sufficient and have an established relationship with parents
• Dependent students whose parents do not claim the student on their tax return
• Circumstances already accounted for on the FAFSA, such as living expenses
• Consumer debt
• Expenses already included in the Cost of Attendance (COA)
• Noneducational expenses; i.e., expenses related to pets, vacations, or extracurricular activities

This is just a general list of some of the most commonly considered circumstances. If you do not see your circumstance listed, you should still make an appointment to talk with a counselor.