Applying for need-based aid.

[ILikeDrugs]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

So I've been reading some threads on financial aid and it seems that the feds want the tax info of the parents. Well, I don't know my parents. My biological father left when I was 3, and I cut off all ties with my biological mother when I was 18. What will the schools ask of me if I can't provide that info. Will I not be able to apply for any need-based aid? I'm broke. =\

 

[fizzgig]

i thought the feds didn't require it if you're old enough and/or tax independent, but the individual schools (most of them it seems) want parental info anyway because they think your family should help support you regardless of what uncle sam says (because they know most are trads and are just out of college). that is for institutional need based aid, not federal aid through the school.

for your exact situation i don't know what you should do exactly.

i'd be interested in what nontrads do in general because the idea that parents should step back in and help a kid at 30 go back to school seems really bizarre to me... i don't know if trads are regarded differently in that way or if they just get the same requirement as trads if they want institutional aid.

 

[Rooni]

i thought the feds didn't require it if you're old enough and/or tax independent, but the individual schools (most of them it seems) want parental info anyway because they think your family should help support you regardless of what uncle sam says (because they know most are trads and are just out of college).

That's approximately what I understand to be true. I was given the option to provide financial information for one parent on the FAFSA, and was told that it was not required that I do so, but that some schools would require that information before I qualified for aid from them.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), the parent whose info I listed is in no position to help me financially even if he wanted to, so it shouldn't affect me much one way or the other.

 

[Lacheln]

AFAIK all schools require parental information for institutional need-based aid, regardless of your age, marital status, number of children, etc. If you are just applying for stafford loans you can qualify without parental info. They are extremely strict about this, but there are exceptions made in cases where it is not possible to provide the information. You can PM me if you need more specific info, but my advice generally would be to talk directly to the finaid office at the school and explain the situation. They'll tell you their specific requirements for getting a waiver.

 

[NTF]

Unfortunately, this is one of the cracks that many non-trad applicants fall through.

You'll still be eligible for stafford and grad plus loans w/o parental info.

But sadly, need-based grants and need-based low interest loans require parental info. I've yet to hear of anyone getting around the requirement.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Thankfully I have excellent credit.

 

[Lacheln]

I've yet to hear of anyone getting around the requirement.

I have been exempted from this requirement - it is possible if you are truly not able to provide such documentation, although I did have to jump through several hoops and gather various legal documents.