<p>There's actually two situations that I'm concerned about:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>My mom is planning to move out of the state shortly after I go off to college (at FSU). Would I have to pay OOS tuition even if I stay in Florida year-round?</p></li>
<li><p>Once I move, I'll be living on campus while dorms are open and in an apartment with my brother during the summer and whatnot. I don't get along with my mom at all, so I was thinking about declaring myself independent since I probably won't even see/speak to her for a couple of years. But, would I have to pay OOS tuition? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I'm not really sure what determines your residency, but I'm 18 and registered to vote in Florida, and I've lived here since I was born.</p>
<p>You can’t just “declare” yourself independent. </p>
<p>If you can answer Yes to any of the following questions, you are considered an independent student on the FAFSA:</p>
<pre><code>* Were you born before January 1, 1987?
As of today, are you married?
At the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, will you be working on a master’s or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)?
Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011?
Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2011?
At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
Are you, or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
Are you, or were you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
At any time on or after July 1, 2009, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
At any time on or after July 1, 2009, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
At any time on or after July 1, 2009, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
</code></pre>
<p>Ask them what happens to your in-state residence if your parent moves out of state while you are in school. Most universities will not change your in-state status in cases like that, but some will.</p>
<p>So… they weren’t really able to tell me anything until after they process my initial FAFSA information (even though this is just a general question). </p>
<p>But if I have a child any time while in college I’ll be considered independent, right?</p>
<p>You have to be providing the financial SUPPORT for that dependent child in order to be considered independent for the FAFSA. If someone else is providing support, you would not qualify. The exemplar is “have a dependent child who you support”. </p>
<p>To be honest, it’s expensive to have a baby AND support that baby. It would cost you a LOT less to go to a community college for two years and transfer to a four year school. Seriously…it would.</p>
<p>To demonstrate that YOU are supporting that dependent child, you would need to show sufficient income to do so. If you have that much income (to pay rent, utilities, food, health care, etc)…your financial aid will be reduced.</p>
<p>Call FSU and find out if you will be considered an instate student IF your mom moves. At some schools, your instate status as a freshman doesn’t change. </p>
<p>If it does change, you will have instate status for this year, and then next year, you won’t…because your parent no longer is working and supporting the higher education system in Florida. SO call THEM to find out.</p>
<p>This has NOTHING to do with a pending FAFSA…this is a residency question.</p>
<p>And agreed…nothing you’ve put here would indicate that you would qualify as an independent student. Having a baby is a very poor way to get this status in my opinion.</p>
<p>patsmom, I just read that link and it does look like the OP will be a resident for the UPCOMING school year 2010-2011. BUT if his/her parent does not continue to reside in FL, it doesn’t look like that student can continue to classified as an instate resident. I’m very unclear from that link whether this student would continue to be classified as an instate tuition eligible student IF the family moves to another state. That question, however, should easily be able to be answered by the FL folks.</p>
<p>*But if I have a child any time while in college I’ll be considered independent, right? *</p>
<p>only if you contribute to 50% of the child’s support, which is hard since you’re the male and in college.</p>
<p>sweetie…what are you doing, talking about having a child while in college? Do not derail your excellent goals by starting a family. You have a knack with computers and such…stick to that until you’re like 30… :)</p>
<p>BTW…you can still come to Bama with the NA scholly, and they won’t care where your mom moves to. LOL</p>
<p>Well my mom will be moving sometime in late 2010 or 2011, so I’ll be in school then, though I don’t know if that changes anything. There is no way I’m paying $15k more each year and losing my scholarship (I need to be a Fl. resident) because of that. I guess I’m just trying to find the easiest way around that (one which doesn’t involve impregnating my girlfriend or getting married).</p>
<p>I’ll just send an email because they might have misunderstood my question on the phone.</p>
<p>@mom2: I wasn’t serious about the child lol. I was mostly joking, but I guess that’s hard to detect when reading posts. Thanks for reminding me about Bama :)</p>
<p>Yes, send an email to admissions, registrar, and scholarship offices. Be sure to explain that you’ve lived in Fl for X years. Tell them that after you begin school, your custodial mom may be moving OOS. I think they will tell you that as long as your mom lived in FL for 12 months prior to you starting school, you will be a resident for tuition purposes as long as you have continued enrollment at FSU. </p>
<p>The reason I think this is because that is kind of the policy that FL has for purchasing their pre-paid tuition plan. </p>
<p>So, ask if you start as an in-state student, and your mom moves, will you keep your instate residency and keep your Bright Futures and whatever scholarships. If they say that you won’t keep them, then a new strategy is needed. Let me know.</p>
<p>BTW…if they give you a positive response. SAVE those emails… Print them out, make copies, give a set to mom for safe-keeping, keep a set for yourself, etc. You may need them in the future if they try to change their policy.</p>
<p>^^good advice Mom2. Ask your question in writing and keep the correspondence and please don’t contemplate having a child to cement your residency as an independent student!!</p>
<p>Well apparently I would still be considered in state until I graduated (at least as far as tuition goes)! I guess I’ll just have to deal with not being able to file for FAFSA though.</p>
<p>I won’t be able to file as a independent, and my mom is not going to give me her FAFSA or income tax details after I move out, so I can’t file as a dependent either. She’s mean for no reason and claims to hate me (yet she brags about me all the time on her stupid facebook), so I’ll just have to deal with it until then.</p>
<p>Claims to hate you? What’s that about? Are you sure that this isn’t just a temporary “flare up” because - well - teens and parents can fight a lot during senior year? Is she mad that you’re going to FSU? What’s up. PM me if you want. :)</p>
<p>Won’t you need your Pell and stafford money for your education?</p>
<p>Nah, I have enough from the university scholarship, bright futures, and local scholarships (I spent almost my whole summer writing the essays for them).</p>