Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

DETERMININGDEPENDENCY STATUS

Federal Student Aid Eligibility

Based on principle of familial financial responsibility

Requires the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Requires parental information for students under 24 and may require additional verification

Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

Dependent or Independent?

Cannot ‘declare’ independence

Status is determined by FAFSA questions

Independence may require documentation

Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

For Federal Student Aid Purposes…

Who is a ‘Parent’ on the FAFSA?

Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

Parents include: Parents do NOT include:Biological Parents

Married Unmarried but

living togetherAdoptive parent(s)Parent and

Stepparent, if parent is remarried

Foster ParentsLegal Guardian

who has not adopted student

Relatives who have not adopted student

Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

If the student can answer ‘YES’ on the FAFSA to one of the following, he/she may be independent: Born before 1/1/1992MarriedGraduate or

Professional StudentActive duty militaryVeteran Children/Dependents

Orphan/Ward of CourtEmancipated MinorLegal GuardianshipHomeless

Determined by agency specified on FAFSA

Special Circumstance Determined by FA Admin

Dependency Overrides

Ozarks Technical Community College16th Annual Counselors’ Financial Aid Workshop

Abuse at homeAbandonment by parents

Special Circumstances:

Not claimed on taxesNot living with parent(s)Parent refuses to provide

information

NOT Special Circumstances:

Documentation

from a third

party, such as

law enforcement,

school official,

social worker.

Provided by: