If I live off-campus do I have to put the address of where I am residing during the school year or my home address where my parents live? Also, how does each once one affect my financial aid?
If you are still a dependent of your parents (taxes, car insurance, vote from that address) you use your parent’s address because that’s your permanent address.
It usually doesn’t make a lot of difference. FAFSA will consider you a dependent even if you are a permanent resident at your college address. It might make some difference to state aid or scholarships but you’d know that by now.
What if I’m an independent student?
How are you an independent student? Are you over 24, married, supporting a minor child, a veteran? Were you in guardianship? Or foster care?
Or do you just pay for your own bills??
I’m a transfer student and lived on campus for my first year but I’m over 24 and live with my parents over the summer. I know that’s a foreign concept but I’m a full time student in California and rent can be super expensive in NorCal.
If you are older than 24, you establish your main address. That may be your parents’ home or it might be where you live on the day you fill out the fafsa. What is the address on your license, your taxes, where you vote?
It won’t matter for FAFSA. Many independent students do not live at the same address by the time they start school for the 2020 school year.
I always tell students to use an address where they are sure they will be able to receive mail now & in the future. If you borrow, disclosures will be sent to that address. It will be the address your assigned servicer is given. As long as you keep your address updated any time it changes, you can use whatever address works best for you.