FAFSA dependency override for student with deceased custodial parent and no contact with other parent

My daughter went thru somethin similar. You need to apply for a "dependency override" which isnt actually on the FAFSA itself. Each school handles these diffrently. Have student contact financial aid office at EACH school they apply to and ask about their dependency override process.

This is actually a fairly common situation that requires a special process. Your student will need to complete the FAFSA as best they can, then request a dependency override from each school's financial aid office. Document everything: 1. Death certificate for the custodial parent 2. Any legal documents showing the mother had full custody 3. Letter from school counselor, social worker, or clergy member confirming no contact with father 4. Letter from the grandmother describing the living situation The student will be considered independent if approved. Each school handles this differently, so contact each one early in the process.

i dont think theres an option for this exact situation on the fafsa itself, call the federal student aid hotline and see what they say. i tried calling for my student last week tho and waited 2 hours before giving up

I work in financial aid at a community college, and we process dependency overrides for situations exactly like this. The student will need to submit: - Personal statement explaining the situation in detail - Documentation of parent's death (death certificate) - Documentation showing no contact with other parent (can be letters from professionals who know the situation) - Information about current living situation Most importantly, understand that this is a school-by-school process. The FAFSA itself doesn't have an option for this specific scenario, which is incredibly frustrating for students. Each school will make their own determination, though most will approve given these circumstances. I recommend applying to schools with strong financial aid offices if possible, as some handle these situations better than others.

This FAFSA dependency stuff is RIDICULOUS!!! My niece was in the exact same situation and we got different answers from EVERY SINGLE PERSON we talked to! One financial aid officer told us to just "make up" info for the absent parent (ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO THIS - it's fraud!). Another told us to leave it blank (also wrong). Eventually what worked was: 1. Fill out FAFSA as completely as possible 2. Submit with explanation in comments section 3. Contact EACH SCHOOL individually 4. Submit like 20 different documents 5. Follow up constantly!!! It's a nightmare but you can get through it!

One important thing to note: when your student applies for the dependency override, make sure they understand this is a process they'll need to complete EACH YEAR they're in school. The determinations don't automatically carry over from year to year, though the process usually gets easier after the first time. Also, while the grandmother doesn't have legal guardianship now, if that's a possibility, it might simplify things for future FAFSA applications if she established it legally (depending on the student's age).

this happened to my cousin and he ended up having to wait until he was 24 to go to college because the school wouldnt approve his override. so unfair

my nephew got approved at one school but denied at another for the EXACT same situation last year. makes no sense. the fafsa system is broken