Financial Aid for Youth that are Homeless

You do not need to provide your parents’ information on the FAFSA if you are:

1. Under the age 24; and

2. Experiencing homelessness on or after July 1st of the year specified on the FAFSA. Homelessness means you are staying:

   • with other people temporarily because you lost your housing or similar reason;

   • in a shelter

   • in a motel/hotel due to lack of alternatives

   • in a car or other unsheltered situation

   • living in a campus residence hall but otherwise would have nowhere else to go; and

3. Not in the physical custody of your parents or guardians.

If you meet all of these criteria, you are considered an independent student for the FAFSA, because you meet the definition of an “unaccompanied homeless youth. To complete your FAFSA, you will need one of the following people to determine your status as an unaccompanied homeless youth.

• McKinney-Vento liasion or their designee

• Director or designee of a director of a program or shelter that serves individuals experiencing homelessness.

•  Director or designee of a director of a TRIO or GEAR UP program.  

• Financial aid administrator at current institution or another institution who previously made a determination.