Can I apply for FAFSA for myself while my kid is also in college? Need parent-student advice

You absolutely need your own separate FSA ID and FAFSA application. The parent account you created was specifically to provide your information as a contributor to your daughter's application. For your own application, you'll be the student (primary), not the parent. As for aid when both parent and child are in school, there's potential for more aid, especially if your Expected Family Contribution (now called Student Aid Index or SAI) is affected by your own educational expenses. However, this mostly affects your daughter's aid, not necessarily yours. As an independent student (which you would be by age), your SAI calculation won't include your daughter's status.

good luck lol the system is NOT designed for parent students at all!!! i tried this 2 years ago and it was a nightmare. they kept getting confused about which application was which and my sons financial aid got delayed for MONTHS because they thought there was fraud happening with duplicate applications or something

I'm going through this exact situation right now! Yes, you need your own FSA ID completely separate from your parent profile on your daughter's FAFSA. When you create your own FAFSA, you'll be filing as an independent student (assuming you're over 24). The good news: on your daughter's 2025-2026 FAFSA, there's a question about how many people in the household will be in college. When you indicate that you (a parent) are also in college, this CAN positively impact her aid eligibility because it essentially divides the expected family contribution. Your income is effectively stretched between two students. For your own aid: As an independent student, you'll likely qualify for the full Pell Grant amount if your income is moderate. You'll also have access to federal loans with the annual limit for independent students (which is higher than dependent students). Just make sure to keep all documentation very organized - separate files for her FAFSA and yours to avoid confusion!

Yes, it absolutely can help! On the 2025-2026 FAFSA, when you indicate multiple family members in college, the Student Aid Index (SAI) formula takes this into account. The household's ability to pay is considered to be divided among the number of students. So if your calculated SAI would have been $10,000 with just your son in college, it might be reduced significantly with three family members enrolled. You should definitely update your son's FAFSA if you haven't indicated this information!

There's a catch though!!!! Not all schools consider parents in college the same way when determining institutional aid! The FAFSA formula may calculate a lower SAI when parents are in college, BUT many private colleges that require the CSS Profile will disregard the parent-in-college status when calculating their own institutional aid. They only count children pursuing undergraduate degrees. So while your federal aid eligibility might improve, if your daughter is at a CSS Profile school, they might not give her additional institutional grants based on you being in school too. Check with her specific financial aid office about their policy.

Try calling Federal Student Aid directly to get clear answers. I called them about a similar situation last month and got bounced around 5 different departments before someone could actually answer my questions about household members in college. Waited on hold forever and then got disconnected twice. So frustrating!!

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I'm going to start my own FAFSA application this weekend and make sure to keep all the documentation separate from my daughter's. I'll also check with her financial aid office about how they handle the parent-student situation specifically. Fingers crossed we both get good aid packages!

good luck!!! btw what program are u going into?? im in year 2 of paralegal studies and its been hard but worth it

its been crazy tbh. i do school at night and work during day. barely sleep lol. but my kid seeing me graduate will be worth it!!! nursing is awesome my sister did that at 42!!

Congratulations on taking this step! I went back to school at 45 while my son was a sophomore and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Just wanted to add a practical tip - when you're filling out your own FAFSA, make sure to use a completely different email address than what you used for your daughter's application. I used the same email initially and it caused some confusion in the system. Also, nursing programs often have additional scholarships specifically for non-traditional students, so definitely look into those opportunities once you get accepted. The workload is intense but totally manageable if you stay organized. You've got this!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm everything others have said about needing separate FSA IDs and applications. One thing I'd add is to be really careful about the timing of when you submit your FAFSA versus when your daughter submits any updates to hers. I made the mistake of submitting mine right after my daughter made a correction to hers, and it somehow flagged both applications for verification. The financial aid offices at both schools thought there might be identity theft happening because they saw similar financial information on two different applications from the same address. It took weeks to sort out! My advice would be to stagger your submissions by at least a few days and maybe even call both financial aid offices beforehand to give them a heads up that you're a parent-student household. Also, keep copies of everything - I mean EVERYTHING - because you'll likely need to provide the same documentation multiple times to prove you're legitimate separate students.

This is such valuable information from everyone! I'm actually in a similar boat - my twin boys are juniors in high school and I've been thinking about going back for my master's degree when they start college. Reading through all these experiences is really helpful for planning ahead. One question I have is about timing - would it be better to wait until their sophomore year to start my program, or jump in right when they're freshmen? I'm wondering if starting simultaneously might create too much chaos for everyone, but waiting might mean missing out on that household-with-multiple-students benefit for their first year. Also, has anyone dealt with this situation where you have MULTIPLE kids in college at the same time as yourself? I imagine that makes the aid calculations even more complex but potentially more beneficial?

I'm actually considering doing something similar! My son is a high school senior right now and I've been thinking about going back to finish my degree once he starts college. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially the warnings about keeping everything completely separate and organized. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned yet - does anyone know if there are any special considerations for parent-students when it comes to work-study programs? I'm assuming I'd be eligible for federal work-study as an independent student, but I'm curious if schools have any policies about hiring parents of current students, or if there might be weird conflicts of interest issues. Also, has anyone found that being a parent-student affected their access to campus resources like tutoring centers, study groups, or even just finding your place socially among much younger traditional students? The financial benefits everyone's describing definitely make this seem worth pursuing, but I want to make sure I'm thinking through all the practical aspects too!

I can relate to your concerns about the social aspect and campus resources! I went back to school at 39 when my daughter was a sophomore, and honestly, the age thing was way less of an issue than I expected. Most of my professors and classmates were just focused on the coursework, and I actually found that my life experience helped me contribute meaningfully to discussions and group projects. For work-study, I was eligible and worked in the library - no issues with being a parent of a student at another school. Just make sure to mention your situation during the work-study interview process so there are no surprises. One practical tip I wish someone had told me: look into whether your school offers childcare services or family housing, even if your kid isn't living with you. Some schools extend certain family-friendly resources to any student who is a parent, regardless of their children's ages or living situations. I was able to access some emergency childcare services during finals week when my younger son was sick, which was a lifesaver. Also, don't overlook online study groups and virtual tutoring options - they can be more convenient for juggling parenting responsibilities and often have more diverse age ranges. You've got this!

This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation - my daughter just finished her first semester and I'm starting to seriously consider going back for my teaching degree. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me a much clearer picture of what to expect. One thing I wanted to add that might help future parent-students: I spoke with a financial aid counselor at my local community college (where I'm thinking of starting before transferring), and she mentioned that some states have specific grant programs for adult learners that can stack on top of federal aid. In my state, there's a "workforce development grant" that covers up to 75% of tuition for certain high-demand fields like teaching and nursing, and it's specifically designed for students over 25. Also, for those worried about the social aspects - I've been auditing a few classes this semester just to get back into the swing of studying, and honestly, the younger students have been nothing but supportive and welcoming. Many of them actually seek out the "adult learners" for group projects because we tend to be really organized and committed! The separate FSA ID advice is spot-on though - learned that the hard way when I was just exploring options earlier this year. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

This has been such an informative discussion! As someone who works in higher education administration, I wanted to add a few professional insights that might help future parent-students. First, regarding the timing question that came up - I'd actually recommend starting your application process early in the year (January-February) even if you're not planning to start until fall. This gives you time to work through any verification issues or complications without the stress of looming deadlines. Second, many schools now have dedicated "adult learner" or "non-traditional student" advisors who specialize in exactly these situations. They can help navigate the FAFSA complexities and often know about additional funding sources that general advisors might miss. Finally, don't forget about tax implications! When you have multiple family members receiving educational benefits, it can affect how you claim education credits and deductions. You might want to consult with a tax professional to optimize your family's overall tax strategy. The courage it takes to go back to school while supporting your children's education is incredible. Best of luck to everyone pursuing this path!

Wow, this thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who's been contemplating going back to school while my son is in his junior year of college, I've learned so much from everyone's experiences. The detailed breakdown of needing separate FSA IDs, the potential benefits for aid calculations when multiple family members are in school, and all the practical tips about timing and organization have been invaluable. I'm particularly grateful for the warnings about verification issues and the suggestion to give financial aid offices a heads up about parent-student households. The tip about using different email addresses is something I never would have considered but makes total sense to avoid system confusion. For anyone else reading this who's on the fence about pursuing education while their kids are in college - this thread is proof that it's not only possible but can actually be beneficial financially through the household-multiple-students factor. Yes, it requires extra organization and there will be challenges, but the support and success stories shared here are so encouraging. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences, especially the specific practical advice about separate documentation, staggered submissions, and looking into state-specific grant programs. This community is amazing!

This entire conversation has been such a treasure trove of information! As someone who's been quietly lurking and considering the same path, I wanted to jump in and say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences. I'm a single mom with twins who are high school seniors, and I've been thinking about finally finishing my bachelor's degree once they start college. Reading about the multiple-students-in-household benefits has me really excited - I had no idea that could actually help with aid calculations for all of us! The warnings about keeping everything completely separate (FSA IDs, email addresses, documentation) are noted and appreciated. I can totally see how the system would flag similar information as potentially fraudulent. One thing I'm curious about that I don't think was mentioned - has anyone dealt with this situation while also being divorced? I'm wondering if there are any additional complications when the other parent is involved in the kids' FAFSA but obviously wouldn't be on mine. My ex-husband will be listed as a contributor on my daughters' applications, but I assume that has no bearing on my own student status? Either way, you've all given me the confidence to seriously start researching programs. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge and encouragement!

This has been such an amazing thread to read through! I'm in a similar situation - my son is starting his sophomore year and I've been contemplating going back to finish my nursing degree. All the detailed advice about separate FSA IDs, keeping documentation organized, and the potential benefits of multiple students in the household has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add for future parent-students: if you're considering nursing specifically, many hospitals and healthcare systems offer tuition reimbursement programs or even direct partnerships with nursing schools. I've been researching this and found that some programs will actually guarantee you a job upon graduation in exchange for a commitment to work for them for a certain number of years. This could be a great way to supplement federal aid and have job security lined up! Also, for those worried about the time management aspect, I've been talking to nurses who went back to school later in life, and many recommended starting with prerequisite courses at a community college while working part-time. It's a way to ease into the student routine without diving straight into a full nursing program. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you've made this feel so much more doable!