Student Financial Aid
Student Financial Aid
When filing for student financial aid through the U.S. Department of Education, a students dependency status has a large say in how much funding they receive. Students are considered independent if one or more of the following criteria apply to them:
You are 24-years-old before Jan. 1 of the school year you plan to receive aid for.
You have already earned an undergraduate degree and plan to enroll in a master’s or doctoral degree program.
You are married on the day you apply for aid (this applies even if the you are separated).
You have one or more dependents that receive more than 50 percent of their support from you.
You have one or more dependents that are not you children or a spouse, that receive more than 50 percent of their support from you.
Your parents are both deceased or you were a ward or dependent of the court.
You are currently serving on active duty.
You are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces (this includes students who attended a U.S. service academy and were released under any condition other than a dishonorable discharge).
Students who do not meet the requirements to file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as an independent student must include their parent or guardian’s information on the application when seeking student financial aid.
Under certain circumstances, a student who qualifies as a dependent but has no contact with his or her parents can have their dependency status changed to independent. The school’s financial aid administrator determines a dependency status change. The administrator will require specific documentation from the student to determine if a change is appropriate. Once the administrator makes a decision it is final and backed completely by the U.S. Department of Education.
To learn more about student financial aid, visit www.FAFSA.ed.gov
Student credit cards.com @ December 24, 2007