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Provisional Independent Student Status Policy

Dependent students who have unusual circumstances that prevent them from providing parent information on their FAFSA can apply to be considered provisionally independent. This allows the student to submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and receive an estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) without parent information. Dependent students who do not provide parental data on the FAFSA will not have a student aid index (SAI) or estimated Pell amount.

What Is an Unusual Circumstance?

Unusual circumstances include (but are not limited to) abuse, abandonment, neglect, and parent incarceration. If a student marks that they are unaccompanied and homeless, or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless on the FAFSA but do not have an official designation of homelessness from a designated agency, they will receive a provisional independent determination. Homelessness is defined on the FAFSA as:

  • Unaccompanied means the student is not living in the physical custody of their parent or guardian.
  • Homeless means lacking fixed, regular, and adequate housing. Students may be homeless if they're living in shelters, parks, motels, hotels, public spaces, camping grounds, cars, or abandoned buildings, or if they're temporarily living with other people because they have nowhere else to go. Also, if they're living in any of these situations and fleeing an abusive parent, they may be considered homeless even if their parent would otherwise provide a place to live.
  • At risk of being homeless-when a student's housing may cease to be stable, regular, or adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted or has been asked to leave their current residence and has been unable to find stable, regular, and adequate housing.
Common Reasons to Appeal for Independent Status

The FAFSA will ask students "Do unusual circumstances prevent the student from contacting their parents or would contacting their parents pose a risk to the student?" Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Parental abandonment or estrangement
  • Abuse
  • Neglect
  • Victims of human trafficking
  • Legally granted refugee or asylum status
  • Student or parent incarceration
  • Students mark on the FAFSA that they are homeless or at risk of being homeless and don't have a determination from an eligible agency to verify that status.
  • They have been in foster care, homeless, or you were an unaccompanied youth but have not been designated as such by an eligible agency.
  • They would otherwise be eligible for a Dependency Override petition.
Circumstances that Do Not Qualify for Independent Status
  • The student’s parents are unable to provide financial support or refuse to contribute to their education.
  • Their parents are unwilling to provide the information needed to complete the FAFSA or FAFSA verification.
  • Their parents do not claim them as a dependent for income tax purposes; or
  • The student determines themselves financially self-sufficient.

What Happens Next?

When DBU receives a students submitted FAFSA with the parental information section blank/incomplete or marked unaccompanied and homeless, or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless on the FAFSA the Financial Aid office will:

  • Notify students via email and on their DBU Self-Service account with appropriate instructions and timelines on how to submit a professional judgment appeal for a dependency override.

Instructions

  1. Submit a letter regarding their unusual circumstances. Students should include information regarding their relationship with their parents, the length of time they have been in this situation, other people they have lived with, and how they have provided financially for themselves during this time.
  2. Submit third-party letters from two or more people who have first-hand knowledge of their situation. The letters should be from people who are unrelated to you but are aware of their situation, such as a counselor, church official, law enforcement personnel, etc. Those individuals writing letters should include their relationship with the student and how long they have been aware of their situation.
  3. Submit any additional documentation that may be applicable to their situation, such as:
    • Police reports
    • Documentation of incarceration
    • Death certificates
    • Court orders
  4. Each appeal will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please note that the Financial Aid Office may request additional supporting documentation if necessary.

What Happens if the Dependency Override Petition is not Approved?

If documentation does not substantiate the student is independent of their parents, they will be considered a dependent student and will be required to submit parental information on the FAFSA.
If the student’s parents refuse to submit their information at that point, a student can choose to receive a Title IV Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan only and should contact Financial Aid.

If students have any questions about being considered a provisionally independent student on the FAFSA, or to find out if you may be able to petition their particular circumstance, we invite you to contact the Financial Aid Office and make an appointment to discuss your situation. Our financial aid counselors are happy to assist you.