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Key takeaways
- On the FAFSA, students are either designated a dependent or an independent student, with most students under 24 years being considered dependent.
- Parental income and assets are required with your FAFSA if you are a dependent student.
- Some schools may offer a dependency override that rules out any income from parents when you meet certain terms.
When completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you must answer questions to determine your dependency status. Students who are under 24 and answer “no” to all the dependency-related questions are typically considered dependent, which means they must provide their parents’ information on the FAFSA. This can affect how much aid is received.
In some unique circumstances, however, students can request a FAFSA dependency override. If approved, they are classified as independent students, which could help them access more student aid.
What is a dependency override?
A dependency override is a status granted by a school’s financial aid office that allows you to exclude your parent’s information from your FAFSA even if you’re considered a dependent. This can qualify you for significantly more financial aid if your parents have income and assets that would make you ineligible.
Who qualifies for a dependency override?
The requirements to qualify for a dependency override are very strict. A dependency override may be granted if:
- Your parents are incarcerated.
- You left home due to an abusive family environment.
- You don’t know where your parents are, and you have not been adopted.
- You have experienced human trafficking.
- You are an asylee or refugee.
Your situation will have to be verified and approved by your school’s financial aid office. The school’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
How to get a dependency override for the FAFSA
1. Fill out the FAFSA
Complete the FAFSA as you usually would but skip the parent information section. In Section 7 — student unusual circumstances — select “yes” to indicate that you’re experiencing a circumstance that may qualify for a dependency override.
2. Contact your school’s financial aid office
After you submit the FAFSA, contact your school’s financial aid office and provide documentation for your unusual circumstances. For example, if your parents are in prison, you could share a court order as proof. Or, if you’ve run away from an abusive household, you could provide court records, medical records, child welfare records, police reports and signed statements from professionals like former teachers, social workers and counselors.
Bankrate insight
The process of requesting a dependency override varies by school. Some schools may require you to fill out a dependency override form and attach supporting documentation.
Dependent vs. independent students on the FAFSA
You’re considered an independent student if you answer “yes” to any of these questions in the personal circumstances section of the FAFSA.
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- Were you born before January 1, 2002?
- Are you married or separated but not divorced?
- Will you be working toward a master’s or doctorate degree?
- Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you during the school year for which you are applying for financial aid?
- Do you have dependents (other than children or a spouse) who live with you and will receive more than half of their support from you during the school year for which you are applying for financial aid?
- 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?
- 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 as determined by a court?
- Are you in a legal guardianship as determined by a court?
- Are you an unaccompanied youth who is experiencing homelessness or self-supporting and at risk of experiencing homelessness, as determined by a school district homeless liaison, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded emergency shelter or homeless youth basic center?
Answering yes to any of these questions makes you independent, meaning you will use only your income and assets on the FAFSA, not that of your parents.
If you answered “no” to all of these questions, you’re considered dependent and will have to fill out the parent information sections of the FAFSA unless you qualify for a dependency override.
What to do if federal aid is not enough
Explore private free aid, like grants and scholarships, before considering private student loans. If you’ve exhausted all other options and still need additional financing, compare rates before applying.
Bottom line
How you file your FAFSA will determine the amount of aid you will receive for the following school year. A dependent student is one who receives financial support from their parents, while an independent student is self-sufficient. You may also qualify for a dependency override when you meet certain terms, like if your parents are incarcerated, or you come from an abusive home.
To find out more, contact your school’s financial aid office for further guidance on next steps.
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