Aid Step 1: Qualify for Student Financial Aid

— Dependence vs. Independent Status —

Different eligibility loan amounts will be awarded for dependent and independent students:

see stafford loan limits

students who have access to parental support are classified as dependent students.

dependent students and their parents must report respectively their income and assets on the FAFSA form:

see our Step 2 for more information on the FAFSA form

begin your FAFSA submission:
click to open FAFSA links and information

 

Students who display at least one of the following requirements are classified as independent students:

• you were at least 24 years of age on January 1 of the academic year you begin school
  
  
• you are married on the day you apply (even if you are separated but not divorced)
  
  
• you will be enrolled in a graduate or professional program (beyond the bachelor's degree) at the beginning of the academic year
  
  
• you have legal dependents other than a spouse who receive more than half their support from you
  
  
• you are an orphan or ward of the court (or were a ward of the court until age 18)
  
  
• you are veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces ("veteran" includes a student who attended a U.S. military academy who was released under a condition other than dishonorable)
  
  if none of the above criteria apply to you, you will be classified as an dependant student
  
  not living with parents or not being claimed by them on tax forms does not determine dependency status for federal student aid
  
  
  

Independent students must report only income and assets of their own (and those of their spouse, if married).

use this Dependency Status Form worksheet from www.finaid.org to determine your potential eligibility status:
www.finaid.org