Students are classified as dependent or independent because federal student aid programs are based on the idea that students (and their parents or spouse, if applicable) have the primary responsibility of paying for their postsecondary education. Students who have access to parental support (dependent students) should not receive need-based federal funds at the expense of independent students who do not have such access.
You were born before January 1, 1972,
You're married,
You're enrolled in a graduate or professional educational
program,
You have legal dependents other than a spouse,
You're an orphan or ward of the court (or were a ward of the
court until age 18), or
You're a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
If you claim to be an independent student, your school may ask you to submit proof before you can receive any federal student aid. If you think you have unusual circumstances that would make you independent even though none of the above criteria apply to you, talk to your aid administrator. He or she can change your status if he or she thinks your circumstances warrant it based on the documentation you provide. But remember, the aid administrator won't automatically do this. That decision is based on his or her judgment, and it's final---you can't appeal it to the U.S. Department of Education.
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