Do I use FAFSA as a non-resident? HELP!

[Interficio]

<p>Well, I'm a junior and this question has been pestering me for the past few days.
I'm legally in this country via TPS, but am not a resident or a citizen. (I believe I'm considered international as a result.) My family still has paid taxes during our entire 12 year stay in this country. Do I use FAFSA? Or do I use some other financial application (if so which one?). My concerns are that any application designed for international students won't take into account the federal taxes that my parents due pay</p>

[KKmama]

<p>I’m pretty sure that the FAFSA only considers the amount of taxes paid as a measure of income. Financial aid is based on income and assests, so that is what is important. But you can double check with whatever college you end up applying to.</p>

[Interficio]

<p>Thanks! Any more help???</p>

[susgeek]

<p>You might want to read through this documentation:</p>

<p><a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/0809FSAHbkVol1Ch2.pdf[/url]”>http://ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/0809FSAHbkVol1Ch2.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

A student must be a citizen or eligible noncitizen to receive aid<br>
from the FSA programs. The general requirement for eligible
noncitizens is that they be in the U.S. for other than a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or lawful permanent resident, as evidenced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).<br>
The USCIS was briefly known as the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services or BCIS, and before that it was the Immigration and
Naturalization Service or INS. We use DHS throughout this chapter,
and we also refer to USCIS since it is the actual agency that handles
immigration matters and whose field offices you and your students
might have to contact. The eligible statuses are:
• A U.S. citizen or national;
• A U.S. permanent resident;
• Citizens of the Freely Associated States: the Federated States of
Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands;
• Other eligible noncitizens.

</p>

[thumper1]

<p>Your college’s websites should give you the information you need. I"m not sure I understand your “status” here in the U.S. I hope Happymomof1 sees this as she is quite good about this type of question.</p>

<p>My understand is that the FAFSA can only be used by citizens or permanent residents. If you are neither of these, you would not be able to submit one.</p>

[happymomof1]

<p>Thanks for the vote of confidence thumper1!</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I don’t know whether people who hold TPS are considered “eligible noncitizens”. This is what I could find at the FAFSA website. I think that you are going to have to call them and ask for clarification:</p>

<p>"Generally, you are an eligible noncitizen if you are one of the following:</p>

<p>U.S. permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as an Alien Registration Receipt Card or “Green Card”)
Conditional permanent resident (I-551C)
Other eligible noncitizen with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Indefinite Parole,” “Humanitarian Parole,” or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant”
A citizen of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM).
You can receive federal student aid if you are an eligible noncitizen. You must enter your eight or nine digit Alien Registration Number (ARN) on the FAFSA.”</p>

<p>If there are a number of students at your HS who have TPS, your guidance counselor should know what this status means for your college search. You also need to find out whether the state where you live will waive OOS tution and fees at the public community colleges, colleges, and universities based on the length of your residence in that state, and/or on the number years you have attended schools in that state. Some will. In some cases, the policies are different for each kind of public institution. If your guidance counselor doesn’t know about this, start by asking the admissions office at your closest community college. </p>

<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>

[Erin_s_Dad]

<p>Unfortunately it looks like Refugee and Asylum are different categories from TPS.
[USCIS</a> - Temporary Protected Status](<a href=“http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=848f7f2ef0745210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=848f7f2ef0745210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD]USCIS”>http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=848f7f2ef0745210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=848f7f2ef0745210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD)</p>

<p>And TPS does not automatically qualify for a green card:

During a designated period, eligible individuals:</p>

<pre><code>Are not removable from the United States
Cannot be detained by DHS
Can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD)
May apply for travel authorization
</code></pre>

<p>Although having TPS, by itself, does not lead to permanent resident status (a green card), a TPS beneficiary may immigrate permanently under another provision of law if qualified.

Based on that info I would think the OP does not qualify for FAFSA.</p>

[momofthreeboys]

<p>According to the FAFSA website an I-94 stamped “temporary protected status” does not qualify for federal aid unless something has changed recently. OP you need to talk to find out how your in-state publics will “view” you with regard to tuition costs as happymom points out.</p>