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.
