Generally, no, most students under the age of 24 cannot fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) without providing parental information, as they are considered dependent for federal student aid purposes. However, there are specific circumstances under which a student can apply as an "independent student" and thus complete the FAFSA without parent information.
Understanding FAFSA Dependency Status
The FAFSA determines a student's dependency status based on a set of specific questions, not whether the student lives with their parents or is financially supported by them. If a student answers "yes" to any of the dependency questions, they are considered independent. If they answer "no" to all of them, they are considered dependent and must provide parental information.
Key Scenarios for Independent Student Status
A student can be classified as an independent student, allowing them to fill out the FAFSA without parental information, if they meet certain criteria.
1. Age and Educational Level
- Age: The student will be 24 years old by December 31 of the award year for which they are applying.
- Graduate Student: The student will be working on a master’s or doctorate program (e.g., MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD) at the beginning of the school year.
2. Marital and Family Status
- Married: The student is married as of the day they complete the FAFSA.
- Children/Dependents: The student has children for whom they provide more than half of their support, or they have other dependents who live with them and for whom they provide more than half of their support.
3. Military Service and Veteran Status
- Active Duty/Veteran: The student is currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training, or is a veteran of the U U.S. Armed Forces.
4. Special Circumstances
A student may also be considered independent if they are in one of the following specific situations:
- Orphan/Ward of the Court: Both of the student's parents were deceased, or they were in foster care or a ward/dependent of the court at any time after turning age 13.
- Emancipated Minor/Legal Guardianship: The student is or was an emancipated minor, or is or was in a legal guardianship as determined by a court in their state of legal residence.
- Homelessness: The student is unaccompanied and homeless or at risk of being homeless. If a student indicates this on the FAFSA form for the first time and does not have a determination from an individual at an eligible agency (like a high school homeless liaison or director of an emergency youth shelter), they may be able to fill out the FAFSA as an independent student. This specific provision helps vulnerable students access federal aid without needing parental data.
5. Professional Judgment
Even if a student doesn't meet any of the above criteria, a financial aid administrator at their college can use "professional judgment" to change their dependency status to independent in documented cases of unusual circumstances. Examples include:
- An abusive family environment.
- Parental abandonment.
- Human trafficking.
- Refusal of parents to provide financial support or FAFSA information.
In such cases, the student must typically provide documentation and explain their situation directly to the college's financial aid office.
FAFSA Dependency Questions Summary
To help determine if a student can complete the FAFSA without parent information, the FAFSA asks a series of questions. If the student answers "No" to all of these, they are considered dependent.
| Question Category | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Age | Will you be 24 years old by December 31 of the school year for which you are applying? |
| Education | Will you be enrolled in a master's or doctorate degree program at the beginning of the school year? |
| Marital Status | Are you married as of today? (Answer Yes if you are separated but not divorced.) |
| Dependents | Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1 and June 30 of the award year? Do you have other people who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, and will continue to receive more than half of their support from you through June 30 of the award year? |
| Military | Are you currently serving in the U.S. armed forces or a veteran of the U.S. armed forces? |
| Orphan/Ward of Court | At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a ward or dependent of the court? |
| Legal Guardianship | As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor? As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, do you have or did you have a legal guardian? |
| Homeless/At Risk | Are you homeless or at risk of being homeless and unaccompanied? |
Important Note: The FAFSA process is designed to be accessible. If a student has an unusual circumstance that prevents them from providing parental information, they should reach out to the financial aid office at the college they plan to attend for guidance on professional judgment.
