All applicants for federal student aid are considered either “independent” or “dependent.” Dependent students are required to include information about their parents on the FAFSA. By answering a few questions, you can get a good idea of which category you fit into.
- Will you be 24 or older by Dec. 31 of the school year for which you are applying for financial aid?
- Will you be working toward a master’s or doctorate degree (such as M.A., M.B.A., M.D., J.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.)?
- Are you married or separated but not divorced?
- Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
- Do you have dependents (other than children or a spouse) who live with you and receive more than half of their support from you?
- At any time since you turned age 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a ward or dependent of the court?
- Are you an emancipated minor or are you in a legal guardianship as determined by a court?
- Are you an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
- Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training?
- Are you a veteran of the U.S. armed forces?
If none of the criteria listed above apply to you, you are considered a dependent student and are required to provide your parents’ financial information when completing the FAFSA. If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are an independent student. You are not required to provide parental information on your FAFSA.
If you are unable to provide parent information and are experiencing an unusual circumstance, please contact our office.
Unusual circumstances we typically consider:
- The student is unable to contact their parents;
- Parental abandonment or estrangement; or
- Parental incarceration
Unusual circumstances do not include:
- Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education;
- Parents refuse to provide information for the FAFSA;
- Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes; or
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
If you have questions about your dependency status or need more information, please visit StudentAid.gov/dependency.
