What Does Comment Code 300 Mean?

SAR Comment Code 300 reads, "You did not report information about your parents on your FAFSA because you indicated you are only applying for an unsubsidized student loan. You will see comments and highlighted fields on your SAR regarding the missing information and are required to follow-up with your Financial Aid Administrator before your eligibility for federal student aid can be determined."

Comment Code 300 represents Special Circumstances Flag "4" and indicates a situation where a parent is refusing to complete the FAFSA. A financial aid administrator may exercise his, her, or their professional judgment (PJ) authority to package only Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds to a dependent student whose parents refuse to complete the FAFSA or have stopped supporting the student financially. (Note: This represents a change from statutory language that was in effect through June 30, 2022. Previously, this option was available only if the dependent student's parents both refused to file the FAFSA and had ended financial support of the student.)

Such students must still complete the FAFSA so that the Central Processing System (CPS) can confirm that the student meets general student eligibility criteria. Before packaging unsubsidized loan funds, the financial aid administrator must obtain documentation from the student's parents indicating:

1. That the student's parents refuse to complete the FAFSA; or
2. That the parents do not currently provide support to the student (with the date support ended) and that they will not provide any financial support to the student in the future.

If the parents refuse to sign and date a statement to this effect, you must get documentation from a third party, such as a teacher, counselor, cleric, or court. This cannot be self-certified by the student.

For more information, see the Application and Verification Guide (AVG), Chapter 5 in the FSA Handbook. Reference also Changes to Section 479A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, [20 USC 1087TT], effective July 1, 2023.

See also AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&A: If a Student's Parents Refuse To Provide Support, How Does the Student Complete the FAFSA To Borrow a Direct Unsubsidized Loan? (Award Year: 2023-24)

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