Key takeaways:
- An independent student can complete the FAFSA by themselves, while a dependent student needs a parent to contribute to their application.
- Independent students are typically over 24 years old, married, veterans, active duty, or legally emancipated from their parents.
- If your parents won’t help with your FAFSA, contact your college’s financial aid department as soon as possible.
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Most college students are dependent students, which means they need their parents to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with them in order to apply for federal student aid and many types of institutional financial aid. You can only fill out the FAFSA by yourself without your parents if you’re an independent student. Below, we explain how you can tell what type of student you are and highlight some options should your parents refuse to help with your application.
When can you fill out the FAFSA by yourself?
You can fill out the FAFSA by yourself if you’re an independent student.
When you start the FAFSA, you’ll be prompted with a series of questions that will determine if you’re an independent student or a dependent student. You can complete the FAFSA without your parents if you’re an independent student. Dependent students need at least one parent as a contributor.
Independent vs. dependent student
For the purposes of the FAFSA, you are considered an independent student if you meet any one or more of this criteria:
- 24 years of age or older
- Married and not separated
- Enrolling in a graduate program
- Actively serving in (not training) or a veteran of the U.S. armed forces
- Have children or dependents that will need more than half of their support from you
- An orphan, ward of the court, or in foster care since the age of 13
- Named a legally emancipated minor
- Are or were in a legal guardianship with someone other than a parent or stepparent
- Were unaccompanied and either homeless or self-supporting, at risk of being homeless prior to July 1 of the previous year
If you don’t meet any of these criteria, you are likely a dependent student. Not living with your parents or not being claimed on their tax return as a dependent does not make you an independent student.
Keep in mind, being named a dependent doesn’t mean your parents will be on the hook for the cost of you attending college. The FAFSA and your colleges will use yours and their financial information to determine your financial aid package. Any federal student loans you take out will be in your name, unless your parents borrow a separate Direct PLUS loan for parents, which requires a credit check. If your parents won’t contribute to your cost of attendance, you are responsible for it all.
What is a provisionally independent student?
You may be named a “provisionally independent student” if you have unusual circumstances, such as:
- You don’t have contact with your parents, don’t know where they live, and have not been adopted.
- You left an abusive home situation.
- Your parents are incarcerated.
- You’re a victim of human trafficking.
- You’ve been granted asylee or refugee status.
- Contacting your parents would pose a risk to yourself.
If you fit any of these situations, answer “Yes” to “Do unusual circumstances prevent the student from contacting their parents or would contacting their parents pose a risk to the student?” on the FAFSA. You will then need to contact your school to submit supporting documentation or conduct an interview.
How does your status affect your financial aid?
Your FAFSA dependency status can impact how much financial aid you qualify for. When you’re a dependent student, your schools and the federal government are accounting for your parents’ income and assets, as well as your own. As an independent, they only look at your assets and income. If your parents are well-established, it lowers your financial need and your resulting financial aid package is smaller, even if they’re not paying for any of your college education.
What if your parents won’t help with the FAFSA?
If your parents refuse to provide their information on the FAFSA and you’re a dependent, the only source of federal aid you can receive is a Direct Unsubsidized loan. Contact your college’s financial aid office as soon as possible to discuss your options and available institutional aid you may qualify for.
Additionally, to help you afford higher education without the FAFSA, you can:
- Apply for private scholarships.
- Explore state grants. Some can help you pay for college if your parents won’t contribute to your FAFSA.
- Work part-time to help pay.
- Consider community college or trade schools as more affordable options that still lead to great outcomes.
Scholarship databases make it easy to identify and apply for awards you qualify for. There’s thousands of awards and millions of dollars available. Even winning several smaller scholarships can add up to big savings on your college education.
