Why are we asking for documentation of independent student status?

On the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you indicated you meet one or more of the descriptions below. You have been selected to verify this information by providing documentation for at least one of the items below to confirm your Independent Status for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

Active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces: Provide a copy of your Active Duty Orders indicating active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training.

Emancipated minor: Submit a copy of an approved petition for emancipation, court orders, or other similar legal papers documenting as a minor. The documentation must confirm the student was emancipated prior to age 18. NOTE: Emancipation due to a parent’s divorce or child support termination does not meet the requirement as emancipated minor.

Legal guardianship: Submit documentation of legal guardianship immediately before the age of 18 if you were in legal guardianship of someone other than your parent or stepparent.  This could include a copy of the approved petition for guardianship, court order, or other similar legal papers.

Orphan, ward of the court or foster care:

• Submit a copy of each of your parent’s death certificates and a copy of your birth certificate (or adoption paperwork) if you had no living parent (biological or adoptive) at any time since you turned aged 13, even if you are now adopted; or
• Submit a copy of legal documentation indicating you were a dependent or ward of the court at any time since your turned age 13, even if you are no longer a dependent or ward of the court today; or
• Submit a copy of documentation of foster care status if you were in foster care at any time since you turned age 13, even if you are no longer in foster care today.

Homeless or unaccompanied youth: Submit a letter from your McKinney-Vento School District Homeless Liaison with supporting documentation of being an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or self-supporting, or at risk of being homeless at any time on or after July 1, 2019.

Married: Submit a copy of your marriage certificate confirming you were married at the time the FAFSA was filed.

Veteran: Submit a copy of your DD214 form indicating release under a condition other than dishonorable for one of the following: active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard, Reserve enlistee called to active duty for purposes other than training, or cadet or midshipman at a service academy.

Note: If you are unable to document your independent status based on the above categories, then you are considered dependent for financial aid purposes. Please login to your FAFSA at fafsa.gov and answer “No” to questions 46-58. You must also provide parental income and asset information as well as a parent signature (your parent can sign electronically using his/her own FSA ID). If you face extenuating circumstances preventing you from obtaining parental information for the FAFSA, please contact your Financial Aid Counselor.

2023-2024 Proof of Unaccompanied Youth Status

2023-2024 Proof of Emancipated Minor or Legal Guardianship

2023-2024 Proof of Child/Dependent Support

Financial aid eligibility is based on the parental and/or student income for the prior year.  If during the current year special circumstances occur such as unemployment;  divorce; death of a spouse or parent; loss of child support; loss of Social Security benefits; or loss of other income benefits,  regulations allow student financial assistance to review the situation.  Please select the applicable form based on your situation.

2023-2024 Special Circumstance for Dependent Student

2023-2024 Special Circumstance for Independent Student

2023-2024 Verification of Private School Tuition Paid

If you did not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in the last term, you may have been asked to submit a SAP Appeal.  Please use the SAP Appeal that corresponds to the appeal you were requested to submit and submit the signed appeal through the Secure Document Upload in Joe'SS.

SAP Appeal Form

SAP Academic Plan & Appeal Form

*Please fill out the form completely and ensure you have checked all required boxes indicating you have read and understood each of the sections; regardless if it applies to your specific situation.

Please see the Satisfactory academic progress policy (SAP) for additional information.

Scholarship Appeal Form (GPA Renewal) - Scholarships that were awarded automatically at the time of admission have certain GPA requirements in order to renew each academic year. If you do not meet the required GPA for these particular scholarships at the end of the academic year, you may submit this appeal in order to be reconsidered for the next term. (See Scholarship Renewal Criteria.)

Graduating Senior Scholarship Appeal Form - Scholarships generally require full time enrollment (12 credit hours as an undergraduate) in order to disburse in a given term.  If you are a graduating senior but do not need to take full time enrollment, you can submit this appeal to be considered for some of your scholarships (only applies to those received at time of admission).  Please note: you must still be half time (6 hours) and have applied for graduation for the current term in Joe'SS.

Please see the Scholarship reinstatement and appeal policy for additional information.