When a College Student is Financially Independent

Financial Aid Administrators have the right to change a student’s status on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) from dependent to independent via Section 480(d)(7) of the Higher Education Act. This status change is commonly known as a Dependency Override and is granted on a case-by-case basis dependent on unusual circumstances. This can make a student eligible for more financial aid, since the student is not required to list parent income and asset information.

These are a few reasons that may merit a dependency override for a student:

  • Incarceration or institutionalization of both parents
  • Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, domestic or mental abuse) 
  • Abandonment (failure of the parent(s) to provide financial support or to communicate with the youth for a long time, generally understood to be a year or more)
  • Unsuitable household (youth removed from household and placed in foster care or with legal guardians) 

Note: This list is not exhaustive. If you believe you should be considered independent on the FAFSA® follow the steps below. 

How to Apply for a Dependency Override

In order to request a Dependency Override, please follow these steps: 

step one of an adoption search in New York StateStep 1: Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) 

The first step in receiving any financial aid is filling out the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” or  FAFSA®  . There are specific questions questions asked in Step Three of the FAFSA® determines if the student needs to include parental financial information in  the later Step Four. If a student answers “Yes” to any of the questions in Step Three that student will skip Step Four (Parent) and will pick up at Step Five (Student).   

Questions 52, 53, and 54 on the 2019 FAFSA® are specific to students who were ever considered a ward of the court, were ever in foster care, or were in a court-mandated legal guardianship arrangement.   

  • 52. At any time since you turned 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court? 

Note: Wards of the court are considered to be “independent” students and are NOT expected to provide any parental (or legal guardian) financial information on the FAFSA®.

  • 53. As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor?

Note: An emancipated minor is a student who has been legally removed from their biological parents’ custody through a court order, gets married, or enters military service. Saying “Yes” to this question does NOT always warrant a Dependency Override.

  • 54. Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?

Note: Students living with a legal guardian, as determined by a court, are NOT expected to provide any parental (or legal guardian) financial information on the FAFSA®. 

When you answered “Yes” to any questions in Step Three, you are not expected to provide any parental (or legal guardian) financial information in Step Four (Parent) and can continue on to Step Five (Student).  

step two of an adoption search in New York StateStep 2. Requesting a Dependency Override

Just by clicking “Yes” to the questions listed above does NOT immediately qualify you for Dependency Override or determine your status. The decision whether a student qualifies for Dependency Override is made by the college, university or trade-school’s financial aid administrator. This decision is FINAL. 

After filling out and submitting the FAFSA®, it is the student’s responsibility to write a formal letter to the financial aid office of the schools they are applying to with independent  third-party documentation of the circumstances that warrant the Dependency Override (e.g.  letters from social workers, court orders, police reports documenting any abuse or domestic violence, etc.). Contact the Financial Aid Office to inquire about this process.

Possible Documentation Require for a Dependency Override

  1. Formal cover letter from the student describing their situation in detail, specifying why they are requesting Dependency Override.
  2. Other documentation that may support the student’s claim to independence (e.g. court documents, police reports, or letters/documents from other agencies such as the Department of Social Services. Depending on the situation, this type of information may be required to support the student’s case for a Dependency Override.  In such cases, an override will NOT be granted until this documentation is provided to the Financial Aid Office.  

  Once you send in the required documentation, the Financial Aid Administrator will review all material and will either grant or deny the request for Dependency Override.   

 

If you have specific questions, please feel free to reach out to Kylie Regan, Family Support Specialist, via email at kylie@affcny.org or phone at 845-679-9900 ext. 1008.