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Current InformationYour Live Financial Aid Data (MyEvergreen) Financing Your EducationGraduate Student Financial Aid How Financial Need is Determined How to...Accept and Receive Financial Aid Funds Your Financial Aid OfficeContact the Financial Aid Office
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Determining Dependency Status for Financial Aid |
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Am I considered independent or dependent?If you are considered dependent, your parents' income and circumstances are considered in the determination of your eligibility for financial aid. When you file the FAFSA, your to answers several questions determine your status.FAFSA Step III states: The federal guidelines listed below for the 2009-2010 year determine if you are a dependent or independent student. If you (the student) answer "NO" to every question listed below you are considered a dependent student: 1. Were you born before January 1, 1986? The Financial Aid Office will receive this information from the FAFSA you submit. 2. As of today, are you married? (Answer "YES" if you are separated but not divorced.) The Financial Aid Office may require you to provide documentation that you were married on the day you initially filed your FAFSA for the 2009-10 year. 3. At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)? The Financial Aid Office will receive this information from the Admissions Office and from the FAFSA you submit. 4. Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? The Financial Aid Office may require you to provide documentation of your active duty status. 5. Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? Answer "Yes" (you are a veteran) if you: have engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard) or are a National Guard or Reserve enlistee who was called to active duty for purposes other than training, or were a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies, and were released under a condition other than dishonorable. Also answer "Yes" if you are not a veteran now but will be one by June 30, 2010. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide verification of your Veteran status and benefits. Answer "No" (you are not a veteran) if you: have never engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, are currently an ROTC student or a cadet or midshipman at a service academy, or are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee activated only for training. Also answer "No" if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and will continue to serve through June 30, 2010. 6. Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you? The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation.
7. Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2010? The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation.
8. When you were age 13 or older, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent/ward of the court? Answer "Yes" if you had no living parent (biological or adoptive) when you were age 13 or older even if you are now adopted. Answer "Yes" if you were in foster care when you were age 13 or older, even if you are no longer in foster care as of today. Answer "Yes" if you were a dependent/ward of the court when you were age 13 or older, even if you are no longer a dependent/ward of the court as of today. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation. 9. As of today, are you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? Answer "Yes" if you can provide a copy of a court's decision that you are emancipated minor of are in legal guardianship. The court must be located in your state of legal residence. Answer "No" if the court order is no longer in effect. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation. More information for students who were previously in foster care 10. As of today, are you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? Answer "Yes" if you can provide a copy of a court's decision that you are emancipated minor of are in legal guardianship. The court must be located in your state of legal residence. Answer "No" if the court order is no longer in effect. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation. 11. At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless? Answer "Yes" if you received a determination at any time on or after July 1, 2008, that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless.
Answer "NO" if you are not homeless, at risk of being homeless or if you do not have a determination. You should contact your financial aid office for assistance if you do not have a determination but believe you are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or are an unaccompanied youth providing for your own living expenses who is at risk of being homeless. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation. 12. At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of an emergency shelter program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless? Answer "Yes" if you received a determination at any time on or after July 1, 2008, that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless.
Answer "NO" if you are not homeless, at risk of being homeless or if you do not have a determination. You should contact your financial aid office for assistance if you do not have a determination but believe you are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or are an unaccompanied youth providing for your own living expenses who is at risk of being homeless. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation. 13. At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless? Answer "Yes" if you received a determination at any time on or after July 1, 2008, that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or, at risk of being homeless.
Answer "NO" if you are not homeless, at risk of being homeless or if you do not have a determination. You should contact your financial aid office for assistance if you do not have a determination but believe you are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or are an unaccompanied youth providing for your own living expenses who is at risk of being homeless. The Financial Aid Office will require you to provide documentation. More information on dependency status from the FAFSA site The Higher Education Act states that under certain conditions, an instititution may override a student's dependency status.If you do not meet the federal definition of being independent as described in the FAFSA Step III, you may request that the Financial Aid Office make a waiver of your status on the basis of documented extenuating circumstances. These decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis and justified by an individual student's unusual circumstances and must be documented in the student's file. Petitioning Process
The following circumstances do NOT qualify as extenuating circumstances and will NOT qualify you for independent status.
Note: The parent's unwillingness (vs. inability) to assist the student should not, in and of itself, be grounds for a dependency override. See also: Residency Regulations at Evergreen |
Essential Determiners What is your enrollment status? Are you a resident of Washington? Related Links Office of Financial Aid |
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Last Updated: Monday September 14 2009 All content and images on this site are copyrighted by The Evergreen State
College. © 2008 |
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