Determining Dependent or Independent Status
Students able to answer "No" to all of the following dependency status questions, are Dependent students and will need to provide parental information on the FAFSA. Students able to answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, are considered Independent students and do not need to provide parental information on the FAFSA.
Example 1: Dependent Student
Dependency Status Questions |
Yes |
No |
| 1. Is student 24 years of age or older? | X |
|
| 2. Is student married (Separated counts as married)? | X |
|
| 3. Does the student have any children who receive more than 50% monetary support? | X |
|
| 4. Does the student have any legal dependents (not children or spouse) who receive more than 50% monetary support? | X |
|
| 5. Is the student a veteran of active duty military? | X |
|
| 6. Is the student considered a Ward of the Court (the court system granted guardianship to someone other than the student's natural parents)? | X |
Example 2: Independent Student
Dependency Status Questions |
Yes |
No |
| 1. Is student 24 years of age or older? | X |
|
| 2. Is student married (Separated counts as married)? | X |
|
| 3. Does the student have any children who receive more than 50% monetary support? | X |
|
| 4. Does the student have any legal dependents (not children or spouse) who receive more than 50% monetary support? | X |
|
| 5. Is the student a veteran of active duty military? | X |
|
| 6. Is the student considered a Ward of the Court (the court system granted guardianship to someone other than the student's natural parents)? | X |
Determining Financial Need
To determine financial need, students must first complete the FAFSA (see Applying for Financial Aid link).
FAFSAs are submitted to the Department of Education (DOE) and the DOE uses the student's information to calculate an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) number. The EFC is a measure of a family's or individual's (depending on dependency status) financial strength. EFCs determine how much of the family's resources should be available to help pay educational costs and allow the school to determine how much aid can be awarded.
Notification and Verification
Students will receive an award letter in the mail detailing the amount of aid and the types of aid for which they are eligible. Students not eligible for federal or state grants will also receive a letter informing them of their non-eligible status.
Some applicants will be chosen at random to have their FAFSA data verified. CFCC will notify applicants of documents required to complete the financial aid process. Other documentation, including copies of federal tax returns, may be required to verify the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA.