1. Financial Aid: Advising Special Populations
2016 MSCA Conference
Presented by Valerie Jensen
MASFAP Early Awareness Committee

2. Agenda for today Dependent vs Independent Students
Dependency Overrides
Homeless/Unaccompanied Youth
Pregnant/Parenting Students
Students orphaned or wards of the court or in foster care
Students in legal guardianships
Question and answer time

3. Dependent Students
Cannot say “yes” to any of the dependency determination questions on the FAFSA
Are required to provide parental income and asset information
Have lower federal loan eligibility amounts

8. Independent Students
Can answer “yes” to one of the dependency determination questions
Not required to report parental income information
Will likely be required to supply documentation to the schools to verify accuracy of information
Have higher federal loan eligibility

10. Professional Judgments
Professional judgment refers to the authority of a school’s financial aid administrator (FAA) to make adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA and to override a student’s dependency status

11. Dependency Overrides
Schools may use professional judgment to override a student’s dependency status
Significant documentation is required in order to make this determination
Schools will typically require two or more third party letters outlining the situation
Student may be asked to provide pay stubs, utility bills, or other documentation of self-support

12. Homeless Youth
The U.S Department of Education defines homeless youth as youth who “lack a fixed, regular, and nighttime residence” or an “individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is a) a supervised or publicly operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; b)an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill; or c) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.” -youth.gov

13. Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
An unaccompanied homeless youth is defined as a young person that lacks safe, stable housing and is not in the care of a parent or guardian.
Live in a variety of temporary situations such as shelters, friends’ homes, cars, campgrounds, public parks, abandoned buildings, motels and bus or trains stations
Many have run away or been forced from home due to dysfunctional family situations
-naehcy.org

14. McKinney Vento
A law that makes sure youth experiencing homelessness can attend school. It provides the student with many rights:
The right to receive the assistance of the school district McKinney Vento homeless liaison
The right to enroll in school and begin attending immediately, even if they cannot produce the documents

15. McKinney Vento
The right to participate fully in school, including extra-curricular activities
The right to continue attending their “school of origin” if that is in their best interest
The right to receive transportation to their school of origin
Automatic eligibility for free school meals
-U.S. Dept of Ed

16. FAFSA Question
The FAFSA will ask whether a student is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless in the dependency determination question. Accurately answering this question is the first step in helping to secure financial aid for students disadvantaged in this way.

19. Documentation
Schools will need documentation to support the identification as homeless or unaccompanied youth on the FAFSA
A letter on school letterhead from the homeless liaison identifying the student as homeless under McKinney Vento
-OR-
A letter from the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program
A letter from the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program
Institutional forms/worksheets

20. Resources
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (
Dept of Ed Homeless Children and Youth fact sheet (

21. Pregnant/Parenting Students
A student who now has or will have a child or children receiving more than 50% of from the student between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018
If two unmarried students have a child together and are not living together, they may both be able to answer “Yes” to this question if one parent is paying child support to the other

22. Documentation
Schools will require documentation to support the fact that student has a child or children and providing majority of financial support.
Copy of child/children’s birth certificate(s)
Documentation of current employment
Documentation of housing (lease or utility bill)
Documentation of child support
Documentation of TANF, WIC, SNAP
Institutional forms/worksheets

23. Orphans/Wards of the Court
Answer yes to the FAFSA question if:
Student had no living parent (biological or adoptive) at any time since turning 13, even if now adopted
If student was in foster care at any time since turning 13, even if no longer in foster care as of the day of FAFSA completion
If student was a dependent or ward of the court at any time since turning 13, even if no longer a dependent or ward of the court as of the day of FAFSA completion

24. Documentation Orphaned students: Dependent/wards of the court:
Copies of each parent’s death certificate and a copy of student’s birth certificate or adoption paperwork
Dependent/wards of the court:
A copy of legal court documentation indicating student was or is a dependent or ward of the court at any time since turning 13
Students in foster care
A copy of documentation of foster care status
Institutional forms/worksheets

25. Legal Guardianship
Students that are in a legal guardianship with someone other than a parent or stepparent should answer “Yes” to this question.
Does not include guardianship to a biological parent resulting from divorce or separation agreement
Power of attorney does not constitute legal guardianship
A student that is still a minor and the court decision is no longer in effect should not answer “yes” to the question

26. Documentation
A copy of the approved petition for guardianship, a court order or other similar legal papers
Institutional forms/worksheets

28. Contact Information
Valerie Jensen Assistant Director, Counseling and Outreach Student Financial Services Saint Louis University