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 dependents (other than your children or spouse) living with you that receive more than half of their support from you?
- Are both of your parent's deceased, or are you a ward or dependent of the court?
- 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.)
How to File the FAFSA According to Your Dependency Status
- Dependent Student
- 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 Student
- 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.