Scholarship Appeal Policy

This policy outlines the procedure for students at New Mexico State University who wish to appeal their scholarship eligibility after failing to meet renewal requirements. The goal is to provide a fair, consistent, and transparent process for appeals, taking into account the unique circumstances of each student.  

Policy 

Grounds for Appeal 

  • Students who have been notified of their failure to meet scholarship renewal requirements and subsequently lose scholarship eligibility have the right to appeal this decision. 
  • Appeals must be based on extenuating circumstances — unforeseen events beyond a student's control — that impacted the student's ability to maintain scholarship eligibility, such as a medical emergency, death in the family, or other documented crisis. 
  • Appeals must be submitted with supporting documentation relevant to the semester(s) being appealed. Appeals submitted without documentation will be denied. 

Submission of Appeal 

  • Students must submit a Financial Aid Appeal Form to the Financial Aid Office in-person or via email to financialaid@nmsu.edu. 
  • The appeal must include a detailed, typed personal statement describing: the extenuating circumstance(s) and when they occurred; how the circumstance affected academic performance; and a plan for future academic success. 
  • All required supporting documentation must be submitted with the appeal form. A wet signature is required; electronic signatures are not accepted. 

Review Process 

  • The Scholarship Appeals Committee will review the appeal and supporting documentation to determine whether the circumstances warrant reinstatement of scholarship eligibility. 
  • The committee considers: the severity and timing of the circumstance; the strength and relevance of documentation; the direct academic impact; the student's plan for future success; prior appeal history; and the likelihood of academic recovery. 
  • Students will be notified of the appeal decision in writing within 7–10 business days of receiving the appeal. Decisions may take longer during peak processing times. 

Acceptable circumstances include but are not limited to: 

  • Medical emergency — hospitalization, surgery, mental health crisis, or extended illness 
  • Death of a family member 
  • Family crisis — domestic violence, serious illness of a family member 
  • Military deployment or natural disaster 

Unacceptable circumstances include but are not limited to: 

  • Not being prepared for college-level coursework 
  • Withdrawing from courses to maintain GPA 
  • Technical issues with course materials 
  • Failure to provide supporting documentation 

Appeal Decisions:

Students will be notified of appeal decisions via their NMSU email. 

Approved Appeal: 

  • The student's scholarship eligibility will be reinstated for the next term. 

Approved with Academic Plan:

  • The student's scholarship eligibility will be reinstated with specific conditions that must be met each semester to maintain eligibility. The Academic Plan may include requirements such as achieving a minimum GPA each semester or enrolling in specific courses. 
  • The Scholarships team will review progress at the end of each term. Students must follow the plan's terms until they meet scholarship eligibility requirements or complete their degree. 
  • Failure to meet the terms of the Academic Plan will result in loss of scholarship eligibility for subsequent terms. 

Denied Appeal: 

  • The student remains ineligible for scholarships. Eligibility may only be reinstated if the student meets scholarship renewal requirements or successfully appeals again in the future. 

Reinstatement of NM Opportunity Scholarship 

Students who lose NM Opportunity Scholarship eligibility and are not approved for reinstatement through the appeal process may petition for reinstatement as a returning student no sooner than two years after the end of the semester in which eligibility was lost. To do so, students must submit a Petition for Opportunity Scholarship Reinstatement Request form to the Financial Aid Office. 

Confidentiality 

All information provided by the student in the appeal process will be treated with confidentiality and used solely for the purpose of evaluating the appeal. 

Access to appeal documents and discussions will be limited to authorized personnel involved in the review process. 

Policy Review 

This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Financial Aid Office to ensure its effectiveness and compliance with applicable regulations. 

Appeal for Financial Aid