Dependency Status

Student status for purposes of financial aid is defined by federal regulations and is determined through a series of questions when completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The University of Cincinnati and the State of Ohio follow these same regulations when determining aid eligibility.

NOTE: When completing the FAFSA, you are likely not to be asked all of these questions. If your answers to simplified versions of these questions provides enough information, the system will avoid taking the student through a long series of somewhat complicated scenarios as described in full below.

Dependent students are required, when completing the FAFSA, to include parental information. Independent students do not have to use parental financial and household information when filing their FAFSA.

You are considered a dependent student for aid purposes unless one or more of the following very specific conditions is met:

• AGE
  • You are 24 as of January 1 of the FAFSA filing year (i.e., you do not become independent when you turn 24).
• GRAD PROGRAM
  • You are or will be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program
    (beyond a bachelor’s degree with at least 72 undergraduate hours achieved -- see special note for PharmD) at the beginning of the academic year.
• MARRIAGE
  • You’re married on the day you complete the FAFSA.
• MILITARY
  • You are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training.
  • You’re a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. (A "veteran" includes students who served in active duty and were released under a condition other than dishonorable. For more details on who is considered a veteran, see the explanatory notes on the FAFSA.)
• DEPENDENTS
  • You have children who will receive more than half their support from you between July 1st and June 30th of the FAFSA academic year.
  • You have legal dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half their support from you now and through June 30th of the FAFSA academic year.
• ORPHAN/FOSTER CARE/WARD OF THE COURT
  • At any point after turning age 13, both of your parents were deceased, even if you are now adopted.
  • At any point after turning age 13, you were in foster care or determined to be a ward of the court.
• EMANCIPATED MINOR/LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP
  • You are or were an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence. (Does not include students who are emancipated due to turning 18.)
  • You are or were in a legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence, lasting until the age of 18. (Does not include students who were/are in a legal custodianship.)
• HOMELESS
  • At any time on or after July 1 of the year after the tax year used on the FAFSA, you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or self-supporting & at risk of being homeless as determined by:
    • A director or designee of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or other program serving those experiencing homelessness.
    • Your high school or school district homeless liaison or designee
    • A director or designee of a project supported by a federal TRIO or GEAR UP program grant.
    • A financial aid administrator (FAA)
  • Important Note: Students who answer yes to this question must meet both criteria of being 1. Unaccompanied - not living in the physical custody of your parent(s) or guardian(s), 2. Homeless or at risk of being homeless - lacking fixed, regular, or adequate housing
  • Also, if you are living in any of these situations and fleeing an abusive parent, you may be considered homeless even if your parent would otherwise provide a place to live.

When examining this list, you can see most traditional students will be considered dependent (and therefore required to use parent information when completing the FAFSA) throughout their undergraduate college career.

Students who support themselves financially, intend to pay for their own college, or file their taxes independently do not qualify as independent for financial aid purposes unless they meet any of the criteria listed above (though it may influence residency decisions). Therefore, students and parents should continue to follow tax laws and take advantage of appropriate claims when filing their federal and state income taxes.

When a student is classified as dependent for financial aid purposes, the parental financial and household information will be requested along with student financial information when completing the online FAFSA and when completing any verification process. If you do not know what parents to use, this information may be helpful. You can also utilize the Who's my FAFSA parent? Wizard.

• If your parents are married (not separated) and filed taxes jointly, only one parent is required to be a contributor.

• If your parents are married (not separated) and didn’t file taxes jointly, both of your parents are contributors.

• If your parents are not married to each other and live together, both of your parents are contributors.

• If your parents are divorced, separated, or never married, and don’t live together, the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months is the contributor.

• If your parents are divorced, separated, or never married; don’t live together; and provided an exact equal amount of financial support or if they don’t support you financially, the parent with the greater income and assets is the contributor.

• If the contributing parent is now married and did not file taxes jointly with their current spouse, their spouse is also a contributor.

Parental information on the FAFSA may be required even if the student no longer lives with the parent(s).

Providing parental information does not mean that parents plan to pay for the student’s college education. That is a personal, family determination. However, the FAFSA requires parental information for dependent students to get a picture of the overall family’s financial strength and ultimately determine eligibility for aid programs.

Some students find themselves in more extreme situations that prevent a student from being able to have parents complete the FAFSA. If you don’t know where your parents are, do not have any contact with your parents, or you’ve left home due to an abusive situation, contact the Student Financial Aid Office. We can assist you with the proper course of action.

Parent refusal or desire not to complete the FAFSA is not the same as an inability for parents to complete the FAFSA.

There are many sensitive family issues, and staff will work with you within federal regulation limitations to get you the proper aid.