Extenuating Circumstance Appeals (ECA)

An Extenuating Circumstances Appeal (ECA) allows students to request a review when serious, unexpected, and unavoidable circumstances have significantly affected their ability to meet academic responsibilities during a semester.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may be eligible to submit an Extenuating Circumstance Appeal if all of the following are true: 

  1. Timing of your circumstance 
    Did your extenuating circumstance happen before or after the withdrawal deadline? 
  • Before the deadline — it kept you from withdrawing from the course on time. 
  • After the deadline — withdrawing was no longer possible, and it kept you from completing the course successfully. 
  1. First-time appeal 
    You have not already been approved for an Extenuating Circumstance Appeal in the past. 

You have official documentation explaining your extenuating circumstance, for example, a doctor's note, military orders, or a death certificate for an immediate family member. Documents must be on official letterhead.

An ECA covers two separate types of relief. You may request one or both, depending on your situation. 

1. Administrative Withdrawal Grade- If an extenuating circumstance prevented you from withdrawing by the college deadline, or from successfully completing the course after that deadline, you may request a WX grade. 

2. Forgiveness of a Past-Due Balance- If an extenuating circumstance affected your ability to pay your contracted payment agreement, you may request forgiveness of a past-due balance. Important limits on this: 

  • Reviewed on a case-by-case basis 
  • Assists with tuition costs only 
  • Does not cover collections or collection fees 

Submission Deadline: Extenuating circumstances must have occurred during the semester being appealed. Appeals must be submitted no later than the end of the following semester after the impacted term. Please refer to the deadlines below for specific submission dates. 

Example: 

  • Circumstance occurred in Summer 2026 → Appeal due by the end of Fall 2026 
  • Circumstance occurred in Fall 2026 → Appeal due by the end of Spring 2027 
  • Circumstance occurred in Spring 2027 → Appeal due by the end of Summer 2027 

Apply Here

For general questions regarding the ECA process, contact: 
Extenuating Circumstance Appeal Committee, extenuating.circumstance@ccd.edu 

For questions regarding your Past Due Bill, contact: 
Cashier’s Office at 303-556-2075, BusinessOffice@ccd.edu 

For any questions regarding Financial Aid, contact: Financial Aid Office 303-556-5503,  FinancialAid@ccd.edu 

Submit an Appeal