Dependency Status Appeal
Dependency Status Appeal
Appealing Your FAFSA Dependency Status
The federal student aid programs are based on the concept that it is primarily your and your family’s responsibility to pay for your education. A dependent student is assumed to have the support of parents, therefore, the parents’ information has to be assessed along with the student’s in order to get a full picture of the family’s financial strength. If you’re a dependent student, it doesn’t mean your parents are required to pay anything toward your education; this is just a way of looking at everyone in a consistent manner.
However, some student situations will require extra discretion in determining the student’s ability to provide parental information on the FAFSA. Our office provides the opportunity for students to appeal their FAFSA Dependency Status by submitting documentation of your situation. You must clearly demonstrate an adverse family situation in order to be considered independent for financial aid purposes. Adverse family situations may include: physical or emotional abuse, severe estrangement, abandonment, parental drug or alcohol abuse, mental incapacity or other circumstances.
We understand that this type of appeal can feel intrusive. We want you to know that we take every precaution to protect your privacy and to ease the burden of having to go through this process. The first time you appeal, you will build your case with supporting documentation. Once that appeal is approved, in subsequent years, you dependency status override will automatically rollover with each FAFSA you file. You will continue to follow the FAFSA instructions to file without parental information, which will result in your FAFSA status as needing additional attention. Don’t panic, that’s the correct status! Once we rollover the previous year’s approval, your FAFSA will be resubmitted to the FAFSA processing center by our office for reprocessing. Once we receive the updated FAFSA, we’ll be ready to finalize your aid eligibility.
Federal guidelines stipulate the following conditions do not solely qualify as circumstances meriting a dependency override:
- Parent refusal to contribute to the student’s education
- Parent unwillingness to provide information on the FAFSA or to provide required verification documentation
- Parent does not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency
If your situation does not meet the requirements for a Dependency Override, but you still cannot provide parental information, you have the choice to submit the FAFSA without parental data. If you do not provide their information on the FAFSA, and you will only be able to receive a federal unsubsidized loan. The FAFSA will tell you what to do if you are in this situation. Learn more about how to fill out the FAFSA when your parents aren’t supporting you and won’t provide their information.
Appeal Requirements
Initial Appeal for Dependency Status
If this is your first time appealing your dependency status with our office, you must clearly demonstrate an adverse family situation in order to be considered independent for financial aid purposes.
1. Write your personal statement: Explain your extenuating family circumstances, and why you should be considered an independent student. Your statement must address both parents, and include details of the following:
- The circumstances that led to you leaving your parents' household.
- Your relationship with your biological/legal father, include the frequency of contact with him over the past year.
- Your relationship with your biological/legal mother, include the frequency of contact with her over the past year.
- Your living arrangements over the past year. With whom have you resided? Who has provided financial support to you during the past year?
2. Third party documentation is required. In addition to your personal statement, you must submit letters from third parties or court documents that support your statement. Include documentation you feel will support your appeal for independent status; for example, court orders of permanent status (not temporary), death certificates, verification of incarceration and letters (on letterhead and signed by the author) from school counselors, clergy, or family physicians, may be appropriate. Letters from friends and family members are not acceptable as the sole source of documentation.
See below for information about submitting your appeal.
Submitting your Appeal
What happens next?
Our online document collection and appeal platform allows us to respond quickly. Appeals are reviewed in order of the date received. If we need additional information, the request will be posted in the online system and you will receive an email and/or text notifying you of the status. Once we have everything necessary, we will make appropriate adjustments to data on your FAFSA. You will receive an email from the FAFSA processing center when we do this. PLEASE do not make any changes to this data. Doing so will cause major delays in your aid processing. Once we receive the adjusted FAFSA processing results, we complete your financial aid package. You will receive an email to review and accept your financial aid on your self-service portal.
How Long Will This Take?
The online system improves our current process and we expect to be able to respond to your requests much more quickly. That said, the actual review of documents, reprocessing of the FAFSA, and subsequent adjusting of aid can take a week or so. The key to speeding this process is to watch for status updates, check your email, and respond quickly to requests for additional information.
Ready to submit your appeal?
You will be prompted to log in with your Rowan network credentials. If you are a first-time user, you will be asked to confirm your demographic information.
If you are an incoming first-year student and do not have Rowan network credentials, please make an appointment through your admissions portal to speak with a financial aid counselor who can assist you further.
Once in the system, click on “Request” at the top, right corner of the page, and select the appropriate appeal type and academic year for which you will be submitting your appeal.
Need help?
