Dependent students must report parental information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Dependent students meet all the following conditions:
- Unmarried
- Under the age of 24
- No legal dependents
- Not a veteran of the U.S. armed forces
- Not a graduate student (beyond a bachelor's degree)
- Not a ward of the court or parents are not deceased
An independent student meets at least one of the following criteria and does not report parental information on the FAFSA:
- Age 24 or older
- Married
- Has a legal dependent other than a spouse
- An orphan/ward of the court (or were until age 18)
- A veteran of the U.S. armed forces
- Both parents are deceased
- Enrolled in a graduate or professional program (beyond a bachelor's degree)
- Emancipated minor
- In legal guardianship
At any time on or after July 1 of the tax year used on the FAFSA, the student was:
- Declared an unaccompanied youth by the student's high school or by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Declared homeless by a Youth Center
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