<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>I'm an international student and I'm going to be applying to US colleges this fall. I have a translated court order which states that I have had no contact with my mother since 2009, my parents were divorced in 2010, and that my father passed away in 2014. Therefore, the court ''temporarily accommodated'' me under my grandmother's foster care.</p>
<p>The CSS profile says this:
"Are both of the student's parents deceased, or is the student (or was the student until age 18) in foster care or a ward/dependent of the court, or as of today is the student an emancipated minor?"
And if you answer yes then you are automatically considered an independent student and must provide your own taxes and income, not your parents'. </p>
<p>My questions:
1) That being said, can I apply as an independent student? My grandmother is my foster parent, but I've never been in one of those public homes or such.
2) Is there a place in the CSS profile where I can upload the document or do I have to send it individually through e-mail to each school?
3) Some schools and the Common Application give out fee waivers. For example:
*Are you a resident of a foster home, public housing or shelter?'' <- Do I qualify for this given the fact I haven't been in public housing but I'm still under foster care?
4) *Does your family receive public assistance?'' <- Do I qualify for this as well? My dad was a retired man and he used to get monthly retirement money. Now the country basically gives me 50% of his monthly retirement money because I'm his successor.</p>
<p>It is my opinion that you are an independent student since the court assigned you to your grandmother as long as the temporary accommodation did not run out before you turned 18. You may have to provide that court document. In a few cases, I have personally known, kids in foster care, even as a relative, when it is an official placement, like through a court, such students qualified for all of the benefit of being in a foster home. Your stipend that you get as your father’s survivor is not likely to be public assistance. It’s a survivor’s benefit that you are getting as his successor, not getting from the state/country as need based money. Welfare benefits , public housing/shelters, food coupons, or other such things, given because you are low income are considered public assistance. </p>
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<p>Getting a pension is not the same as being on public assistance. PA is welfare. It would not be a gov-paid pension.</p>
<p>Since you now get the pension, that is the income you would have to report on any financial aid request. How much is the pension that you get? And will it end for at a certain age? </p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the help! I’ll respond individually. I also have a final question: there’s a question on the CSS profile about the household. I’ve been living only with my grandmother the past year, but I have a brother who has been studying in the USA the past nine years. Should I include him in the household and state 3 people instead of 2, or should I not, because he technically doesn’t live with us?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids Hello and thanks a lot for the clarification! The pension is roughly 82$ per month. The idea is that as long as I’m studying (whether in high school or university) and I’m under 26, I’m getting it. The moment I stop studying or turn 27, I can’t receive it anymore.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse Hi and thanks! I’m glad you’ve personally seen such cases – that’s what I was most worried about, that I’d only get speculations without anyone actually having witness one such case. I have the court order ready in my native language, as well as translated by a local translating company. I’m just wondering where to attach it. : )</p>
<p>@intparent You’re absolutely right about being international and in need of full FA, because my household’s income (grandma’s and mine) is estimated at under 5K$ per year, with mine individually (the one I’ll put on the FA) being under 1K$ per year through my dad’s retirement money. I have no idea how I’m going to pay without getting full FA, so I’m still looking for schools that are more giving towards internationals. Unfortunately, most of them are high reach schools and while I’m certain my awards and GPA are amazing, my SATs have been disappointing (670-700s on the SAT subjects, and a 2000 reasoning – plus the fact that I don’t have enough money to retake until November or December) and I don’t think they’d help me land a spot in places where internationals are fully considered. Thanks for the link!</p>
<p>Are you currently living in the US?</p>
<p>How old is your brother?</p>
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<p>$82 US dollars? That is nothing! Are you sure? </p>
<p>How old is your brother and how is his education being funded? </p>
<p>If you are independent, the only ones in your household would be yourself and any dependents or spouse. No one else. If your grandmother is giving you money, you put down what she is giving you. But unless you are married and/or proving half of someone’s support from YOUR money, they are not your dependent. </p>
<p>Since OP does not reside in the US, each school will determine her status.</p>
<p>I agree with Sybbie. Because this student is an international student, it is very hard to say what each college will do. </p>
<p>Thanks for being so patient with me and answering the silly questions, everyone! </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids 82$, I’m sure. That’s like 1/3 of the minimal monthly pay here in my country. My brother’s 28 and as crazy as this sounds when compared to our funds, he’s finishing his phD. It’s being funded mostly by his university, and he works as a TA so he manages.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse Oh, so as an independent I only put down my info. Got that, thank you :)</p>
<p>@sybbie719 No, I’ve never even been in the USA. My brother’s 28. Does what you said mean I have to e-mail each and every college individually about how I should send the FA data and whether I’m eligible for fee waivers? @thumper1 </p>
<p>What Sybbie and Thumper are saying, is that international students may be treated differently by some colleges. You should read the instructions on the web sites as well as the info , for each college, and, yes, email each financial aid office to ask if you are considered independent/get fee waivers, etc as an international student. There are a number of categories and exceptions to the rules that school may have when it come to their own money. </p>
<p>As an International student, you are not eligible for fee waivers for SAT/CSS profile. You will have to ask each school for a fee waiver code (which they purchase from the College Board).</p>
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<p>Yes, you will have to contact each school regarding waiving your fees regarding applications and submitting financial aid data through CSS profile because your information will not be submitted until you pay the fee. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that the information for independent students on the profile uses a baseline for being independent student for US federal aid. Even for US Citizens and permanent residents being eligible independent for federal aid does not automatically make you independent for institutional aid.</p>
<p>For your situation, you will be totally dependent on institutional aid for any grants/loans as you are not eligible for Federal loans. Each school determines what they need as far as disbursing their own monies. </p>