Our son is a struggling theater professional. He is applying to three graduate schools for theater. Because his income is somewhat limited we help him with rent money. For FAFSA purposes, he is an independent student. Does he have to mention on the FAFSA form (question 44i) that he receives some financial assistance even though he is an independent student?
Updating. This is what the current Federal Student Aid Handbook says: Cash support includes money and gifts and housing, food, clothing, car payments or expenses, medical and dental care, college costs, and money paid to someone else or paid for on his behalf. For example, if a friend or relative pays his electric bill or part of his rent, he must report the amount as untaxed income. If he is living with a friend who pays the rent and the student’s name is on the lease, the rent paid on his behalf counts as cash support because he is responsible for payments that his friend is making.
From the above description, it appears that what must be reported is money you give to him, as well as payment for something that the student is responsible for paying.
The requirement to report that money will actually go away for the 2023-2024 academic year (new regulations).
I am going to add that federal aid for grad students is limited to unsubsidized loans and Graduate PLUS loans, both of which require FAFSA but neither of which are based on need (there may be some work study, but not always for grad programs). There might be some need based aid from the school, but it’s more likely to be merit scholarships than need based aid. I don’t know whether there are funded programs in his chosen field, but that is what many grad students are looking for these days. Even art schools and business schools, which never used to have much in the way of funded programs, are offering them. I would suggest that he look carefully for programs that offer scholarships/funding, if at all possible.
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Thank you @kelsmom.
This is a very difficult time for performing arts professionals. I hope your son can find a program!
@happymomof1 your thoughts?
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A good MFA candidate should be offered full or nearly full support by at least some of the places that accept them. Happykid immediately turned down offers that didn’t do that. She went through the interview process for Lighting Design at URTA in Chicago three years ago. The best package was offered by her dream program, so she got really lucky.
She has full support and she could have finished it without any help from Bank of Mom & Dad. Not that Bank of Mom & Dad didn’t step in of course 
Parental back-up for the new iMac, a set of tires, and occasional calls to GrubHub, has meant she can afford to live in the slightly nicer place all by herself instead of sharing with roommates. She didn’t even file the FAFSA and has no grad school loans.
It’s tough in that industry right now, so the competition might be rougher than when Happykid applied. Fingers crossed here for drewrukid that he be admitted to the program that is perfect for him with support that makes the MFA possible.
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