Students often wonder whether or not they would be considered a Dependent Student or an Independent Student for Financial Aid pursposes.
As a general rule of thumb, if you answer "yes" to any of the below questions, you could be considered an Independent Student.
- Are you older than 24 years of age?
- Will you be working on a graduate school degree, such as a master's or doctorate, in the upcoming academic year?
- Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for other than training purposes?
- Are you a veteran of the United States Armed Forces?
- Are you married as of the date you will be submitting the FAFSA?
- Do you have children or other dependents who receive more than half of their support from you?
- Are you an orphan or ward of the court or were you a ward of the court prior to turning 18 years of age?
