FAFSA®: Dependency Status Questions

Playlist: 2020-2021 FAFSA®: Tutorial

FAFSA: Dependency Status Questions The Dependency Status questions help determine whether or not you will need to include parent information on the FAFSA.

The FAFSA will classify you as either:

• A Dependent Student - you are required to provide parent information.

• An Independent Student - you are not required to provide parent information.

You will be considered independent if you are age 24 or older or pursuing a professional or graduate degree.

You may also be considered independent depending on your answers to the questions in the following three sections.

Section 1: Dependency Status.

You will be asked your marital status and two questions regarding whether or not you have and support children and others (if applicable). "Support" can come in two forms:

1. Direct Financial Support: You provide the money directly to the person.

2. Indirect Financial Support: You provide essential living needs to the person, such as housing or meals, but do not actually give the person money.

In order to provide "more than half of their support," you must provide more than half of their total support, which includes both direct and indirect financial support.

For example, if your parent or parents provide housing for you and your children and you do not pay your parents for housing, your children are not receiving this support from you.

Pay close attention to the dates here; they are different in each question.

Section 2: Additional Dependency Questions.

This section presents a series of questions with checkboxes.

Read through the questions and check the boxes that apply to you.

If none apply then select "None of the Above." Section 3: Student Homeless Filter Question.

This question asks if on or after a specific date you were "homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless." "Homeless" means lacking fixed, regular, and adequate housing.

This is a broad definition.

This definition can apply if you are:

Temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go.

Living in substandard housing.

For example, living somewhere where the utilities have been turned off.

Living in emergency or transitional shelters.

The definition of homeless is not limited to just the above examples.

If you are experiencing or have experienced a situation like this, we highly encourage you to speak with the Financial Aid Office to discuss your specific circumstances.

If you are able to answer "yes" to any of the questions in these sections, you will not be required to provide parent information.

You may be required to provide documentation to support the specific item or items for which you answered "Yes." While the Dependency Status section has many questions, following this guidance should assist you in navigating this section of the FAFSA.

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