<p>I know the for the FAFSA, I should be cosidered independent because I'll be 24 in February. I am currently working on completing the CSS profile with my parents, and there are pretty substantial differences in my family's EFC when looking at the FAFSA or the CSS (I guess that the FAFSA just looks at my income and assets and not my parents' so that makes sense).</p>
<p>I'm a bit confused becuase the difference between the EFCs is huge (because me family's financial status is good). The thing is, my parents are counting on all their savings for when they retire, and I really feel bad asking them to pay that much money for me (it's around 30k according to some NPCs, when my EFC according to finaid.org is 11k as an independent student).</p>
<p>So I guess me question is: does every school just choose whether it wants to consider the applicant as independent for financial purposes? (if it helps, I'm applying to: Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern and URochester)</p>
<p>P.S I should also mention that I'm applying to some financial safeties in my country, in case the financial aid I'll receive won't be enough.</p>
<p>If you are an international applicant are you also a US citizen?
Only US citizens can use the FAFSA form and it won’t matter if you are independent because you start at full fees if you are not eligible for FAFSA.</p>
<p>Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an office of the US Department of Education to see if the applicant qualifies for Federal Student Aid including grants, loans and Federal Work Study programs that are funded by taxes from US citizens. </p>
<p>Where did you get the idea that FAFSA is for international applicants?</p>
<p>Nati62 - I apologize . . . all these posts and still no answer to your question! And, sadly, I don’t know the answer either. It’s a reasonable question, though: How do colleges that use the CSS Profile treat students who’d be deemed independent for FAFSA purposes???</p>
<p>And whether or not you’re eligible to use FAFSA shouldn’t make a darned bit of difference! What are people thinking - that because you’re not eligible for U.S. government aid, your parents’ income would always be considered for the CSS Profile, regardless of how old you are?</p>
<p>GMTplus7 - The American parents of a 24-year old wouldn’t be expected to contribute to their child’s college expenses (at least not at a FAFSA-only school) . . . why should it be any different for international parents?</p>
<p>Most schools on your list will are not need blind to international students. In addition, most of these schools will not consider you independent for institutional aid even if you are considered independent for federal aid (which does not apply to you because you are not eligible for financial aid, where you can borrow money).</p>
<p>FAFSA is ONLY for citizens and green card holders. You can’t get federal aid, you don’t use FAFSA.</p>
<p>Sounds like US schools won’t work for you UNLESS you apply to schools that give huge merit scholarships for your stats. Your parents’ income will get considered at those top schools you want. </p>
<p>Either stick to your home schools or find merit schools. Don’t waste your money on apps for schools that will use your parents’ income and will expect them to pay more than they will.</p>
<p>Go to the international student threads; there should be lists of schools that do provide financial aid and merit scholarships to international students.</p>
<p>Op,
Most of the schools on you list give a combination of federal and institutional aid (your EFC in most cases will be the greater of the methodologies).</p>
<p>You must remember that almost every single school that takes federal funds uses the FAFSA to determine for eligibility for federal aid (even though this point is moot in your situation). If you are eligible for federal aid, you will receive it even if the school gives no institutional aid.</p>
<p>When it comes to being independent for federal aid and being independent for institutional aid, one does not automatically cause the other.</p>