Request to Change of Dependency Status due to Unusual Circumstances

The US Congress and Department of Education determine the criteria for whether a student is considered dependent or independent of their parents for financial aid purposes. How an applicant responds to the dependency questions on the FAFSA determines the dependency status. Gateway understands that changes in the family setting can affect a student’s ability to attend and to pay for college. To address these circumstances, HEA Section 480(d)(1)(I) and (d)(2) authorizes a financial aid administrator to use professional judgment (PF) on a case-by-case basis in order to address dependency issues.

If you do not meet one of the conditions listed on the FAFSA to be independent, but believe you have extenuating circumstances, which might warrant you being considered independent of your parents, for purposes of financial aid, you may explain those circumstances in a written request. Unusual circumstances that may warrant a change in dependency status include abandonment by parents, an abusive family environment, unable to locate parents, or other similar circumstances. However, the following conditions do NOT indicate unusual circumstances and generally do not warrant a change in dependency status:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency

It is the policy of Gateway's Office of Financial Aid to begin accepting requests for a change in dependency status due to unusual circumstances January 1 for the upcoming academic award year. It is recommended that the request be submitted as early in the FAFSA filing process as possible. Documentation is critical to the process. Documents must support, and include the reason for, the decision and should, in almost all cases, originate from a third party with knowledge of the unusual circumstances. An acceptable third party is considered to be someone – such as a teacher, counselor, medical authority, member of the clergy, prison administrator, government agency, or court – that knows the situation and can provide documentation to support the claim.

Because it is possible that a student has cause to request a change in dependency but does not have third-party professionals who are aware of their circumstances, the financial aid administrator may, on a case-by-case basis, allow for documentation from others who can attest to the family circumstances that have led the student to file the request.

The Request for a Change in Dependency Status due to Unusual Circumstances form, along with supporting documentation, allows dependent students to appeal their status and request a dependency status change under certain circumstances. After review, the Financial Aid Administrator may request additional information if desired. Submitting this application with documentation does not guarantee that the request will be granted.

All decisions regarding a request are made within the guidelines provided by Federal Student Aid and are made with the professional judgment of the financial aid administrator who reviews the request. The decision of the financial aid administrator is final. Beginning in 2023/2024, a student who has had a request approved in a prior year must only provide a statement if circumstances have changed that would affect the status of their previously approved request. A student may be asked to provide a statement if the College has conflicting information that must be resolved.

If you do not meet one of the conditions listed on the FAFSA to be independent, but believe you have extenuating circumstances, which might warrant you being considered independent of your parents (read explanation above), for purposes of financial aid, you may explain those circumstances by completing the online request. Unusual circumstances that may warrant a change in dependency status include abandonment by parents, an abusive family environment, unable to locate parents, or other similar circumstances.

The information below is required to appeal your dependency status for financial aid.

• Written and signed statement of the circumstances which you believe warrant you being considered independent of your parents for purposes of financial aid.
• Documentation to support your claim to be considered independent for financial aid purposes:
  • Written statement from a third party professional (such as a guidance counselor, legal counsel, court documentation, or other professional) that knows the situation and can provide documentation to support the claim.
    • Other documentation such as court documents, legal documents, or police reports that provide support of your claim may be submitted in addition to the third-party statement.