Am I Independent?

You can only be considered an independent student for financial aid purposes if you can answer "Yes" to at least one of the dependency questions listed on the FAFSA:

2009-10 FAFSA Dependency Questions

2008-09 FAFSA Dependency Questions

Two important facts about dependency status:

• You may still be considered dependent for financial aid purposes even if you are not listed as a dependent on your parents' tax return.

• A parent's or stepparent's unwillingness or inability to contribute to your educational costs is not grounds to file the FAFSA as an independent student.

Sometimes there are instances that will allow financial aid professionals to override the dependency status of a student who cannot answer yes to any of the dependency questions.

If you believe your situation warrants a review, please contact our office to speak with a counselor.