Dependency Determination
Dependent vs. Independent
The federal government has established criteria for classifying financial aid applicants as dependent or independent. If you are dependent, your parents' assets and income as well as your own are considered when determining your financial need. If you are independent, your need is evaluated solely on your (and if married your spouse's) income and assets.
If you can legitimately answer "YES" to any of following questions, you are considered independent for aid purposes for the 2011-2012 academic year starting in fall 2011. If not, you are a dependent and need biological or adoptive parent information on your FAFSA form.
- Were you born before January 1, 1988?
- Were you legally married at the time you signed the FAFSA application?
- Will you be enrolled in a masters or doctorate program (beyond a bachelor's degree) when you start school in 2011-2012?
- Are you on active duty in the US Armed Forces?
- Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard)?
- Do you have children for whom you provide more than 50% support?
(This assumes you are living away from your parents and paying for all your own expenses.) - Do you have legal dependents other than a spouse or children who receive more than half their support from you?
(This assumes you are living away from your parents and paying for all your own expenses.) - Are both your parents deceased or are you a ward of the court or have been a ward of the court until reaching the age of 18? (Note that being incarcerated does not make you award of the court for aid purposes.)
- Is or was student an Emancipated Minor?
- Is or was student in Legal Guardianship?
- Is Student an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth as Determined by High School/Homeless Liaison?
- Is Student
an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth as Determined by HUD?
- Is Student at risk of Homelessness?
If you cannot check "YES" to any item, you are considered dependent on your parents and must include their financial information on your financial aid forms. If you think you have extenuating circumstances that would exempt you from including parental information, you may contact a Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your situation.
Note that the government does not weigh in factors like:
- Parents do not financially support you
- Parents do not claim you as a tax exemption
- You do not live with your parents
- You pay all your own expenses
These items alone do not make you an independent student for financial aid purposes. If you have questions, speak with the counseling staff at the Office of Student Financial Aid.