Can my daughter file FAFSA independently for year-round program with no home returns?

Unfortunately, your daughter's living situation doesn't qualify her as an independent student for FAFSA purposes. The Department of Education has very specific criteria for independent status, and they include: - Being 24 or older - Being married - Having dependents that you support - Being a veteran/active military - Being an emancipated minor - Being homeless or at risk of homelessness - Being in legal guardianship Just living away from home for school, even year-round, doesn't meet any of these criteria. Your daughter will still need to include your family's financial information on her FAFSA unless she meets one of those specific conditions.

my daughtr went thru this exact thing with her pharamcy program!! the fafsa ppl DO NOT CARE if its year round or not. its so stupid. she had to use our info even tho we werent supporting her at all. she was living in an apartment and paying all her own bills but they still said she was dependent bc she wasnt 24 yet. the whole system is rigged against healthcare students tbh

While your daughter doesn't qualify as independent based on her living situation, there is something you should know. The financial aid office can potentially do a "professional judgment" review of her situation. If there are special circumstances that aren't captured by the standard FAFSA formula, they have the discretion to adjust her aid package. Here's what I'd recommend: 1. Have your daughter request a meeting specifically about a "dependency override" or "professional judgment review" 2. Prepare documentation of her unique situation (program details showing year-round attendance, housing arrangements, etc.) 3. Write a detailed letter explaining why the standard dependency rules create a hardship in her specific case 4. Be persistent - sometimes you need to talk to senior financial aid officers, not just frontline staff These reviews are totally at the school's discretion, so approach it professionally and make a strong case for why her situation warrants special consideration.

I work with healthcare students all the time, and this is a common frustration. Unfortunately, year-round enrollment doesn't impact dependency status for FAFSA. However, there are other options to explore: 1. Look into health profession-specific loans like Health Professions Student Loans or Nursing Student Loans which sometimes have better terms than federal loans 2. Many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement if your daughter commits to working there after graduation - worth investigating in your area 3. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has several scholarship and loan repayment programs specifically for nursing students 4. If your income is too high for significant need-based aid, focus on merit scholarships from private foundations that support nursing education While the dependency rules are frustrating, these healthcare-specific funding sources often provide better support than standard federal aid anyway.

Has anyone tried calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly about this? I spent DAYS trying to get through to a real person there last month for a different dependency issue. The automated system kept disconnecting me after 2+ hours on hold. Super frustrating.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! My daughter is in her 3rd year of medical school, TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD, hasn't lived at home in 5 years, files her own taxes, pays all her own bills, yet STILL has to put our information on her FAFSA because she's not 24!!! She lost out on so much aid because of our income even though we can barely help her at all with the astronomical cost of medical school. And don't even get me started on the CSS Profile some schools require - it's even MORE invasive than FAFSA! The system is designed to prevent students from getting aid, not help them.

Thank you everyone for the helpful information! We've decided to: 1. Complete the FAFSA with our information as required 2. Request a professional judgment review with detailed documentation of her situation 3. Research nursing-specific scholarships and loans 4. Look into hospital tuition reimbursement programs in her area It's frustrating that the FAFSA rules don't account for these intensive healthcare programs where students truly are living independently year-round, but at least we have some options to explore. I'll update if we have any success with the professional judgment review!