Financial Aid

Youth - means someone who is 21 years of age or younger or is still enrolled in high school as of the day they signed the FAFSA.

Unaccompanied - means someone who is not living in the physical custody of their parent or guardian.

Homeless - means lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing, which includes living in shelters, motels, or cars, or temporarily living with other people because of nowhere else to go.

The Department of Education regulations are very specific as to who qualifies for independent status.

Giving birth to or fathering a child does not by itself make a student eligible for independent status for financial aid needs analysis. The regulation states that the student must provide a minimum of 50% of support for the child. The FAFSA question asks "Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you during the award year July 1 through June 30?"

The federal processor may require verification for child support paid.

Sometimes the answers to the Dependency Status questions on the FAFSA determine that a student is Dependent and must provide parental information even though their living situation does not allow them to do so. 

A Dependency Override is an action determined by the Financial Aid Office through a Dependency Status Appeal, on a case-by-case basis for students with documented unusual circumstances comprising an "adverse home situation." An adverse home situation may include physical abuse, alcohol or drug abuse in the household, neglect or a dysfunctional home environment. Documentation of such adversity must accompany the appeal. Documentation may include letters from social workers, high school counselors/teachers, adult family members, Child Protective Services, Juvenile Probation, etc.

The following situations are not considered "unusual" and cannot be used as a basis for a Dependency Override:

• The student living on their own or having adequate resources of their own to be considered self-supporting.
• Parents refusing to contribute to their student's education or refusing to provide information on the FAFSA.
• The student not being claimed by either parent for several tax years prior to the year of application.

Federal regulations do not permit the use of professional judgment by financial aid offices to make exceptions in these situations.

If you fit the criteria for a Dependency Status Appeal, please email the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@goudounet.com for more information.