Special Circumstances: Dependency Appeals
If a student cannot answer “yes” to any one of questions #48-55 on the FAFSA, they are automatically deemed dependent by FAFSA standards. Such a student may be reclassified as independent (and thus not required to include parental information on the FAFSA) if our office approves a dependency appeal for that student. A parent’s inability or unwillingness to pay IU costs is not considered sufficient grounds alone to constitute a viable appeal. The student must demonstrate that an irretrievable breakdown in the student-parent relationship, or another extenuating circumstance, has occurred by providing the following documentation detailing their situation:
- A letter from the student.
- A letter/letters from a professional or third party.
- A letter from a relative.
The student must also submit a Dependency Appeal form, available both in our office and on our website (under Forms > Appeals). This form provides specific instructions concerning the content of the letters listed above and further details on the appeal process.
If a student’s dependency appeal is approved and the student is reclassified as independent, the parental information will be removed from consideration in the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation, and the EFC will be recalculated.
Each year, students who have been reclassified as independent will need to confirm that they still meet the conditions for being an independent student. These students will be sent an email (in January) containing the link to the Previous Dependency Appeal Confirmation form. The form can also be obtained at the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Students should make an appointment with the Office of Student Financial Assistance; they should bring the completed form and the upcoming year's completed paper FAFSA to their appointment. (These students should NOT file the FAFSA online.) At the appointment, the student's situation will be evaluated, and if it is determined that the student is still independent, the FAFSA will be properly coded and returned to the student to mail to the FAFSA processor.