Accredited colleges and universities that are eligible for Title IV government aid require students to complete the Free Application for Student Aid from the U.S. Department of Education's FAFSA website. The FAFSA form takes tax return information from the students and their parents and calculates an estimated financial contribution amount that is used to guide the schools in determining how much financial aid is necessary to have the students attend. The federal government considers it the responsibility of the parents or guardians to contribute to the students' education; however, if the students are declared an independent, they will typically receive more aid because their parents' incomes are no longer considered a factor in calculating an EFC. They will be declared an independent on the FAFSA if they indicate one of six possible criteria on the FAFSA form.
Instructions
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1
Turn 24 by Dec. 31 of the financial aid year you are applying for. Individuals 24 and older are no longer considered dependents for financial aid purposes.
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2
Be an orphan or ward of the court. If you are older than the age of majority and are no longer considered a ward of the court, you will still qualify as an independent student if you were a ward until age 18.
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3
Serve in the armed forces. All U.S. veterans are considered independents, regardless of their age.
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4
Enter graduate school. This implies that you have already received a bachelor's degree, but entering graduate school automatically classifies you as an independent.
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5
Become married before you submit your FAFSA. Married students are always considered independents.
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6
Have a legal dependent, such as a child or ward. If someone legally depends on you, the government will not factor your parent's income into your financial aid calculation.