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Dependency Status

General Information

The FAFSA requires students to be classified as either dependent or independent. If a student is dependent, then the FAFSA will require the parent's income information as well to calculate the student's eligibility for financial aid.

Your dependency status for the FAFSA is not the same as claiming yourself independent on your income taxes. Living independently or not being claimed by a parent on their tax forms does not determine dependency status either.

How to Determine Dependency Status

If a student can say YES to one of the following, then the student is considered independent:

  • Are you 24 years of age or older?
  • Are you enrolled in a master's or doctoral program?
  • Are you married or separated as of the date of application, but not divorced?
  • Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you?
  • Do you have dependents (other than children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you?
  • Are you or were you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
  • Are or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
  • At anytime since 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a dependent or ward of the court? 
  • 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? (A veteran includes students who have attended a U.S. Service Academy and who were released under a condition other than dishonorable.)

  • At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?

  • At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless

How to File the FAFSA According to Your Dependency Status

Dependent Students

  • Must report both the student AND the parent(s) income and assets on the FAFSA
  • Financial aid will be calculated based on the concept that the dependent student's parents have the primary responsibility for the student's education
  • The combination of student and parent financial information is used to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Independent Students

  • Must report the student's (and spouse's) income and assets on the FAFSA

Appealing Your Dependency Status

If you cannot answer YES to one or more of the above questions, but you still believe you qualify for being considered an independent student, you may appeal your dependency status. To do this, see our page on The Dependency Appeal.


Dependency Appeal

Under federal guidelines, most undergraduate students are dependent for the purposes of filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and must provide parent information on this application. The dependency appeal process allows a student who has extenuating circumstances to appeal to be considered independent, even though they do not meet any of the independent student criteria on the FAFSA.   

An appeal committee will review the appeal and supporting documentation. If necessary, additional information may be requested. The student will be notified of the committee's decision within two weeks of the submission of a complete appeal.    

Approval of a dependency appeal does not guarantee independent status in future years. A new appeal must be submitted every year.

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