Financial Aid & Scholarship Office, CSU, Chico
Dependency Status
Are you independent or dependent?
Your student dependency status is determined by the U.S. Department of Education based on your responses to the questions in section two of the FAFSA, questions 48-55.
- Were you born before January 1, 1985?
- At the beginning of the school year 2008-2009 will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)?
- As of today are you married? (Answer "Yes" if you are separated, but not divorced.)
- Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
- Do you have dependents (other than children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2009?
- Are (a) both of your parents deceased, or (b) are you (or were you until age 18) a ward or dependent of the court? If so, see Foster Youth
- Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? If so, see Veterans
- Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? If so, see Veterans
To appeal your dependency status, you must clearly demonstrate an adverse family situation in order for us to consider you independent for financial aid purposes. This is called a dependency override, and is considered on a case-by-case basis.
The following conditions do not qualify as unusual circumstances according to U.S. Department of Education guidelines:
- Parents refusing to contribute to the student's education
- Parents unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or documents for verification
- Parents not claiming the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
- Student demonstrating total self–sufficiency
Refer to the 2008/2009 Dependency Status Appeal form (PDF) to determine if you have circumstances that may meet dependency status appeal criteria.