INDEPENDENT/DEPENDENT STUDENT

Independent student

When you apply for financial aid, your answers to several questions on the FAFSA will determine whether you're considered independent of parental support.  If you're considered dependent, you must report your parent's income and assets on your FAFSA as well as your own.  If you're classified independent, you will report only your own income and assets (and those of your spouse if you're married).  Not living with parents and/or not being claimed by them on their tax returns does not necessarily mean that you are an independent student. To be classified as an independent student for Title IV student aid, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• be at least 24 years old by December 31 of the award year for which aid is sought;
• be an orphan or a ward of the court or have both parents deceased;
• be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces;
• have children who receive more than half of their support from you;
• have legal dependents other than a spouse (for example, dependent children or an elderly dependent parent); who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you
• be a graduate or professional student; or
• be married.

If you answer "Yes" to any one of these questions, you will be considered independent, even if you are still living with your parents. If there are compelling reasons to do so, a dependent student may be reclassified as independent by a school's financial aid administrator. Contact our Office if you have any questions about your status.  Please keep in mind that reclassification is not a common occurrence and that independent status must always occur out of necessity rather than choice. Unwillingness on the part of a parent to provide financial information is not considered a valid reason for changing dependency status.  

Dependent student

For the purposes of applying for federal student aid, a student who does not meet any of the above criteria is classified as a dependent student and parent's income and asset information must be reported on the FAFSA.

Dependency override

In very unusual circumstances, a student who does not meet any of the criteria for independent student status may have their status changed to independent by the Financial Aid Office. A financial aid administrator will use professional judgment to make this decision on an individual basis and the decision will be thoroughly documented using supporting information provided by the student.