Students who are 24 years of age of older, married or are sole support for dependents may be considered independent. Moreover, if a student selected on the FAFSA that they were one of the following:
- Unaccompanied Youth by School
- Unaccompanied Youth by HUD
- At Risk of Homelessness
- Legal Guardianship
- Orphan, Ward of the Courts, or under Foster Care
- Emancipated Minor
Court ordered documents are required for verification of the status. In some special instances, the student may seek professional judgement from the Financial Aid Office to declare them independent.
https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency