Can students get loans without parents as co-signers for FAFSA?

Good news - Federal Direct Loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) don't require a credit check or co-signer! These are the main federal student loans available through FAFSA. Your daughter qualifies for these on her own as long as she's completed the FAFSA, even if your SAI is high. The current annual limits for dependent students are: - First year: $5,500 ($3,500 subsidized max) - Second year: $6,500 ($4,500 subsidized max) - Third year+: $7,500 ($5,500 subsidized max) The total undergraduate aggregate limit is $31,000 ($23,000 subsidized max). However, as you can see, these won't cover the full $32,000/year. For the remaining amount, she'd typically need either Parent PLUS loans (which DO require a credit check for parents) or private loans (which almost always require a co-signer for students).

Unfortunately, being considered independent for FAFSA purposes is VERY strict. Your daughter would need to meet one of these criteria: - 24+ years old - Married - Graduate/professional student - Veteran/military - Has dependents she supports - Orphan/ward of court/in foster care after age 13 - Emancipated minor - Homeless or at risk of homelessness Just having parents who can't/won't pay or co-sign doesn't qualify. It's one of the most frustrating parts of the system.

have u looked at community college for 2 yrs then transfer?? my son did this and saved like $50k total. his associates degree was like $6k a year and he lived at home. then transferred to state school for jr/sr year with all credits. got same bachelors degree as kids who paid 4x more lol

One option nobody's mentioned: if you apply for Parent PLUS loans and get denied due to your credit issues, your daughter automatically becomes eligible for additional unsubsidized federal loans. The additional amounts are: - First/second year: +$4,000/year - Third/fourth year: +$5,000/year So first year would be $5,500 (regular) + $4,000 (additional) = $9,500 total in federal loans without a co-signer. Still not enough for $32k/year, but it helps narrow the gap.

Has ur daughter applied for scholarships?? Thats wut my niece did, she got like 8 different ones from random places. Some were only like $500 but it added up to almost $10k per year! She did local business ones, ethnic ones, major-specific ones, everything she could find. Takes time to apply but worth it

I've been trying to reach Federal Student Aid for weeks about a similar situation with my son. The website just gives generic info, and the phone line is always busy or disconnects me! So frustrating when you need specific answers about your situation.

Have you considered a Parent PLUS loan denial strategy? Some parents INTENTIONALLY get denied for PLUS loans so their kids can access those additional unsubsidized loans mentioned above. Since you mentioned credit issues, you might naturally get denied, which actually helps in this case. Also, look into whether your daughter's school has an institutional loan program. Some colleges offer their own loans with better terms than private loans and don't require co-signers.

wat about her working during school?? my daughters roomate works 25hrs at campus bookstore and makes like $1200/month. not enough for everything but helps with expenses

To summarize your options without parent co-signing: 1. Federal Direct Loans ($5,500 first year) 2. Additional unsubsidized loans if PLUS denied ($4,000 more) 3. Scholarships (apply to as many as possible) 4. Work-study or part-time jobs 5. Ask about institutional loans from the college 6. Consider less expensive schools Also, have you appealed your financial aid offer? Many schools have a special circumstances form where you can explain your situation (medical debt, etc.) that isn't reflected in the FAFSA calculation. Sometimes they can adjust your aid package based on this information.

Another option to consider is having your daughter take a gap year to work and save money while also applying for more scholarships. I know it's not ideal, but hear me out - she could work full-time for a year, save every penny possible, and use that time to apply for hundreds of scholarships (there are new ones opening all the time). Plus, some students find they're more focused and mature when they start college at 19 instead of 18. During the gap year, she could also explore whether any of her preferred programs are available at more affordable schools, or if there are certificate programs that could give her a head start. Some employers even offer tuition assistance programs for part-time workers who commit to staying with the company. It's a tough decision, but sometimes delaying by one year can make the entire college experience more financially manageable and less stressful for the whole family.

I'm in a similar situation with my son! One thing that helped us was contacting the financial aid office directly at his target school. They were able to walk us through some options I didn't know existed, like payment plans that spread the remaining balance over 10-12 months instead of paying it all upfront each semester. Also, don't overlook state grants - some states have their own grant programs that aren't tied to FAFSA results. In my state, there's a merit-based grant that only required a 3.0 GPA and wasn't income-dependent. It's only $2,000/year but every bit helps! One more tip: if your daughter is considering any majors in high-demand fields like nursing, education, or STEM, there are often profession-specific scholarships and loan forgiveness programs. Some even offer full rides in exchange for working in underserved areas after graduation. Might be worth researching if any of her interests align with these fields.

One more strategy to consider - look into your state's 529 college savings plan. Even though your daughter is already 18, some states allow you to open a 529 and use it immediately for qualified education expenses. The benefit is that while you won't get the long-term tax-free growth, you might get a state tax deduction for contributions in the same year you withdraw for college costs. Also, check if your daughter qualifies for any federal tax credits like the American Opportunity Tax Credit - you can claim up to $2,500 per year for the first four years of college. While this doesn't reduce upfront costs, it can help with your tax situation and free up money for the following year's expenses. Finally, I'd strongly recommend having your daughter create profiles on scholarship search sites like Fastweb, Scholarships.com, and College Board's BigFuture. Set aside time each week to apply for smaller scholarships ($500-$2,000) - they're less competitive than the big ones and can really add up. Some are as simple as writing a 250-word essay or submitting a photo. The key is consistency and volume of applications.

I'm just starting to research college financing for my younger brother who's a junior in high school, and this thread is incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea the federal loan limits were so low compared to actual college costs, or that getting denied for Parent PLUS loans could actually be a strategy to unlock more federal aid. One question - for those of you who mentioned scholarship search sites, how much time per week would you recommend spending on applications? I want to help my brother get started early but don't want him to burn out on it before senior year even starts. Also, are there certain types of scholarships (local vs national, essay-based vs merit-based) that tend to have better odds for average students? Thanks for sharing all these strategies - it's making me realize we need to start planning much earlier than I thought!

As someone who went through this exact situation 3 years ago, I want to add another angle - consider reaching out to the college's alumni association or major-specific departments. My daughter was interested in computer science, and when we contacted the CS department directly, they told us about industry-sponsored scholarships that weren't widely advertised. She ended up getting a $3,000/year scholarship from a local tech company that specifically wanted to support first-generation college students in STEM. Also, don't overlook employer benefits! Even if you work part-time or for a small company, ask HR if they have any tuition assistance programs for employees' children. My part-time job at a grocery store had a $1,500/year scholarship program I didn't know about until I asked. One more thing - if your daughter has any unique circumstances (first-generation college student, specific ethnicity, parents in certain professions, etc.), there are often very targeted scholarships for those demographics. The competition is usually much lower because fewer people know about them or think to apply. The gap between federal loan limits and actual college costs is brutal, but with the PLUS denial strategy, aggressive scholarship hunting, and direct communication with the school's financial aid office, you can definitely make progress. Don't give up!

Here's another strategy that worked for us - look into tuition reciprocity agreements between states! If your daughter is willing to consider schools in neighboring states, many have agreements that let out-of-state students pay in-state tuition rates. For example, the Midwest Student Exchange Program covers 10 states and can save thousands per year. Also, don't forget about military options even if she's not planning a military career. Some states have National Guard programs that provide full tuition assistance in exchange for part-time service commitments. The Guard meets just one weekend per month and two weeks per year, plus they provide excellent job training and leadership experience. One more tip from our experience - if she's open to it, look into schools with generous work-study programs or co-op programs where students alternate between classroom study and paid work experience. Some engineering and business programs have co-ops that pay $15-20/hour and count toward degree requirements. My nephew actually graduated debt-free through a co-op program because his work rotations paid enough to cover his education costs. The key is expanding your definition of what college can look like - there are so many paths to a degree that don't involve crushing debt!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is income-driven repayment plans for federal loans. While they don't reduce the amount your daughter can borrow upfront, they can make the monthly payments much more manageable after graduation. Plans like Income-Based Repayment (IBR) or Pay As You Earn (PAYE) cap monthly payments at 10-15% of discretionary income, and any remaining balance is forgiven after 20-25 years of payments. For someone going into education like your daughter, this is especially important because teachers often qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) after just 10 years of qualifying payments while working for a public school district. Combined with an income-driven plan, this could make even larger loan amounts manageable. Also, I'd suggest looking into your state's teacher shortage areas - many states offer loan forgiveness, scholarships, or signing bonuses for teachers who commit to working in high-need schools or subjects. Some programs will pay off existing student loans in exchange for a teaching commitment, which could be a huge factor in your daughter's decision-making process. The combination of federal loans (including the additional amounts from PLUS denial), income-driven repayment, and teacher-specific forgiveness programs might make that $32k/year school more feasible than it initially appears!

I'm a college counselor and want to add a few more federal aid options that haven't been mentioned yet. First, make sure your daughter applies for Federal Work-Study through her school's financial aid office - this provides part-time jobs (usually on-campus) where she can earn money specifically for college expenses, and the earnings don't count against financial aid eligibility for the following year. Second, look into Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). These are campus-based grants of $100-$4,000 per year that don't need to be repaid. They're awarded by individual schools to students with exceptional financial need, but the criteria can vary by institution. Even though your SAI might seem "too high" for some aid, it's worth asking about since each school has discretion in how they award these funds. Also, encourage your daughter to maintain good academic standing once enrolled. Many schools have retention scholarships or dean's list awards that kick in after the first semester or year. Some students actually end up with more aid in their sophomore year than freshman year through these merit-based institutional awards. Finally, don't forget about tax benefits beyond the American Opportunity Tax Credit - the Lifetime Learning Credit and tuition/fees deduction might also apply depending on your situation. Every bit of tax savings can be redirected toward education costs.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this thread incredibly informative! I'm in a similar situation with my son who's a high school senior. One additional option I discovered is checking if your daughter's intended college participates in any consortium agreements with other institutions. Some schools have partnerships where students can take classes at multiple campuses or even complete part of their degree at a less expensive partner school while still getting the diploma from their preferred institution. This could potentially reduce overall costs while still achieving her educational goals. Also, has anyone mentioned appealing directly to the college's board of trustees or president's office? I know it sounds intimidating, but some families have had success writing compelling letters explaining their unique financial circumstances directly to top administrators. Sometimes they have discretionary funds or special programs that aren't widely publicized. The community college + transfer route mentioned earlier really shouldn't be dismissed either. Many states have guaranteed transfer agreements that ensure all credits transfer seamlessly, and some even have "reverse transfer" programs where students can earn their associate's degree retroactively after completing their bachelor's. Thank you everyone for sharing such detailed strategies - this thread should be required reading for all parents navigating college financing!