<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>To my surprise this year I am considered an independent student although I won't be turning 24 until the very, very end of the year. Needless to say that was very good news to me as I have an EFC of 0. And if my parents had been on board that wouldn't have been the case. </p>
<p>Anyway with this new found information does this go into effect with my residency as well?Atm I am on an out of state tuition waiver which is nice but I'd also like to qualify for state grants. When I moved here to GA last Nov., I was moving with my parents but still considered a dependent at the time. Now in Jan. I moved into an off campus apt. And I'm wondering if by next Jan. will I be able to petition successfully for residency? I know that will involve me getting a GA state driver's license and GA car tags.</p>
<p>I suggest you talk to your admissions office and find out exactly what you need to do to get state residency. State residency in state tuition purposes can have completely different requirements than for other reasons, so make sure you know what the college wants in order to give you in state tuition rates.</p>
<p>You are independent for financial aid purposes…but that does not guarantee you instate status at your current college. Most schools require that you establish residency a full year before you enroll…and most also do not allow you to establish residency WHILE you are in college as an OOS student. You need to contact your school to find out their policies…but my bet is that you will still be considered an instate student AT LEAST for the 2011-2012 school year…and maybe until you graduate. Check with the school…they are the ONLY ONES who can really tell you how to establish instate residency for YOUR college. BUT I will say…becoming independent for financial aid purposes is not usually a way to do this.</p>
<p>I was listed as an “independent student” for some reason for a college I applied to…what exactly is an independent student? My parents are paying for college so wouldn’t I technically be a dependent student?</p>
<p>Independence in college is decided by age (24), dependency of others (you have a child), former military member.</p>
<p>If you can answer YES to any ONE of these questions you would be considered independent for FINANCIAL AID purposes…have a bachelors degree, are 24 or over, are a ward of the state, are an orphan, are in guardianship, are a veteran, are married, have a dependent child who you support.</p>
<p>^I can’t answer yes to any of those questions, which is scaring me because if I lose any of my scholarship I won’t be able to afford berkeley. Hopefully whether or not I’m a dependent doesn’t impact my scholarship.</p>
<p>Go and check our FAFSA…and make sure you didn’t answer YES to any of them. The one that trips folks up the most is the guardian one. If you live with our parents…they are not guardians…they are your parents…you would answer NO to that question too.</p>
<p>Do check.</p>
<p>Yeah that seems to be the case…someone from Villanova informed be about that mistake as well. I should have corrected it earlier. Hopefully I won’t lose any aid though.</p>