Financial Aid Dependency Override
There are several areas of confusion around the college financial aid application process, but one recurring topic that drives questions is a student’s dependency status. Students and families want to know if the student can be considered independent for financial aid purposes. It’s a process that can be very individual to the applicant, but let’s look at some general info on financial aid dependency status to help you better understand the process.
Financial Aid Dependency Status
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What is a Dependency Override?
A dependency override for financial aid is a process by which a financial aid administrator can change a student's status from dependent to independent for the purpose of determining their eligibility for federal financial aid. This is a rare and exceptional circumstance that is only granted in cases where the student's dependency status is not accurately reflected by the information provided on financial aid applications.
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A dependency override may be granted if the student can provide evidence of one or more of the following circumstances:
Abandonment: The student has been abandoned by their parents and is unable to locate them.
Abuse: The student has experienced physical or emotional abuse from their parents or legal guardians.
Neglect: The student has been neglected by their parents or legal guardians.
Legal Guardianship: The student has been placed in legal guardianship by a court of law.
Death: The student's parents or legal guardians have died.
Other unusual circumstances: The student has other unusual circumstances that prevent them from providing their parents' financial information, such as being estranged from their parents or having a family situation that makes it impossible to provide the information.
It's important to note that a dependency override is not automatic and is granted on a case-by-case basis. The financial aid administrator will carefully review the student's situation and supporting documentation before making a determination.
What is an Independent Student?
An independent student for financial aid purposes is someone who is not considered to be financially dependent on their parents or guardians. In other words, they are not required to provide information about their parents' income and assets when applying for financial aid.
What is a Dependent Student?
A dependent student for financial aid purposes is someone who is considered to be financially dependent on their parents or guardians. This means that when applying for financial aid, they are required to provide information about their parents' income and assets.
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There is a lot to be gained from our free general financial aid advice, but it’s also a very individual process. If you have remaining financial aid questions, email us to discuss more or book an individual session.