<p>I know this was answered before but my bleary eyes can't seem to find it.
If you have 2 in college and one in grad school, do you put 3 in college on the fafsa when it asks?
I don't know if I will have this situation or not next year, but my son is graduating and will be trying to get into grad school. If money is an issue, he will work a year. He is applying to PhD and masters programs and one is close enough that he could live home. Lots of options, but at the mercy of the admissions boards.
Can someone please enlighten me on this, we still will be supplying over 50% of his needs.
Thanks!</p>
<p>I believe for FAFSA if the person is under 24 they are still dependent upon the parent and in college (assuming they attend college/grad school). Otherwise they should not be counted.</p>
<p>My son will be 21 when he graduates and although independent for his grad school fafsa, not really independent yet.
I just wanted to know if putting 3 in college was okay on the fafsa for my twins, although the colleges might not consider the EFC from that figure. I read on a site outside of CC that you should call each college the child is accepted too and ask if they consider grad school, but by that time the fafsa should be in. I would think if it wasn’t considered they would have a note stating that. (but then again this is a government form) or they consider it but they leave it up to the colleges to accept it.</p>
<p>If he is “independent for his grad school fafsa”, I don’t think you can put him as dependent on yours.</p>
<p>I know he’s independent for grad school (I think most are) but I can claim him on my taxes as a dependent. I’ve also read that “in school” means any higher education, so I was confused. I will try to call fafsa and ask them this week, maybe they can clarify more.</p>
<p>This helps somewhat, but what 50% is can vary. I think most students would be getting some help from home. </p>
<p>The rules for including someone in number in college are as follows: </p>
<p>The student is always included.
Other members of the household, except the parents, may be included if they are or will be enrolled at least half time in a program that leads to a college degree, certificate, or recognized education credential at a Title IV institution and for whom the family may reasonably be expected to contribute to their postsecondary education. (West Point and other service academies do not count as Title IV institutions, so siblings who are attending a service academy are not included in the number in college.)
The parents are included at the discretion of the financial aid administrator if they are or will be enrolled at least half time in a program that leads to a college degree, certificate, or recognized education credential at a Title IV institution.
These definitions are based on Sections 474(b)(3), 475(f), 480(k) and 480(l) of the Higher Education Act. </p>
<p>Graduate and professional students are automatically independent. The question then arises whether they can be included in household size and the number in college for a sibling’s FAFSA. The answer is that they can, if they will receive more than half their support from the sibling’s parents during the award year. They do not need to be living at home. It is inappropriate to exclude graduate students simply because they are independent. This situation is quite common among law students, where the parents are paying for law school. </p>
<p>Similarly, other family members who are automatically independent, such as a child who is 24 years old or older or a child who is married, may still be counted in household size if the 50% support test is satisfied. Some financial aid administrators will require evidence than the family is helping pay for the college education of an independent student before counting that student in the number in college figure. They may also require documentation that the family is providing more than half the support of the independent student.</p>
<p>A student in grad school is independent for their FAFSA, but tell them to still file in January, my DD did that and was the first grad student in her dept ever funded with a work study which paid her for research!</p>
<p>You CAN put him on the UG sibling FAFSA’s, but each of their universities will determine whether or not they count the student- UCs do, UVA did not.</p>
<p>I will do that, I know my son feels a little overwhelmed again with applications, recs, etc. starting all over.
So, I can put 3 in college on the fafsa, but should figure it out both ways, 2 and 3, so I will know how it will be looked at by different colleges. Do they just figure it out themselves or do some families send a correction?</p>
<p>We put 3 on fafsa this year but D’s schools Fine Aid Offices questioned this because my S was 24, he had to be independent and file his own fafsa. It actually worked out better because he qualified for grants so he is costing us a lot less $$.</p>
<p>My son will be 21 when he graduates (Fall BD) but it seems on the fafsa that anyone in grad school is Independent but not on your taxes if they are under a certain age. I get that part, but when filling out the fafsa, they ask how many in your household and he is still living here, maybe even in grad school. I suppose when the colleges see he’s in grad school, they can consider it or not. I am assuming most wont so I wont be disappointed.</p>