I will be running out of “state grants” in the state of Minnesota soon and I was wondering if I were to move to another state I would be able to obtain their grants. I am only asking as I had already planned on moving prior to finishing my degree.
That said, does anyone know the following:
-Disadvantages vs advantages of becoming a resident in another state? and if someone runs out of state grant in one state would they be able to obtain state grants in the state they move to assuming they become a resident.
How long have you been attending school in Minnesota? Are you a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior?
If you are a dependent student under the age of 24, the answer will be no because you will be a resident wherever your parents are.
If you move to a new state, you would have to be in that state for 12 months prior to going to school in order to get in state aid. You will have to also demonstrate self sufficiency.
In NYS, you are not considered independent for state aid until you are 35. In addition, independent students who make more than 10k are not eligible for NYS aid (TAP)
Usually you have to live in a state long enough to become a resident. So you probably would need to work, pay taxes and live in that new state a certain number of years.
Then you would need to know if you can qualify for state grants there. Maybe there is an income limit, or maybe you had to have graduated from high school in that state.
Some states don’t have state grant programs.
Also any benefit from getting a state grant might be offset by having to pay OOS tuition, which is usually higher than instate rates. Just because you might be a resident, the college in the new state might not consider you eligible for instate tuition if they deem that you moved there for educational purposes, or if your parents live in another state.
@mommdc There is nothing wrong with working and going to school. I have been at a community college now going part-time while working and have been burning up state grants by not utilizing it by going full time. I will have to choose a university soon which every single dollar helps, yet again every dollar you make as an independent (Im 22 now) goes against you!
Moreover, I have been living on my own since 17 with no contact with my family. Would it be better to ask my college to be an official independent as I do not receive a penny from a family member? I know filing as an independent is different.
I didn’t say that you didn’t work. But if you run out of aid and can’t continue school right now, you might need to focus on working right now and save up enough money to continue.
Once you are 24, you can get a loan of $12,500 as a junior I believe.
You might have another problem. What is the SAP policy of your school?
If I see this correctly, you have earned 65 credits out of 109 attempted credits, that’s 60%.
If you don’t have enough earned credits to meet SAP, you might not get Pell or student loans next year.
^Oh I see, you are already an independent student?
Not every dollar you make will impact your FAFSA EFC, you get an income protection amount of around $10,000 I believe and deductions for federal, state, soc sec taxes paid.
If you transfer to another state where you are not a resident, you will be paying OOS fees to attend. You most likely will not be eligible for state grant awards that are for instate students only. In addition, transfer students are often at the bottom of the list when it comes to receiving grants and such from colleges.
Your tuition would likely be double or so what it is in your home state. And most of those states will not make up the differential between OOS and instate costs.
Finish your degree where you are. Take time off to earn money if needed.
Are you registered at your current college as a dependent or independent student?
Each school determines whether or not to give you a dependency override. Just because one school gives it to you does not mean that you will get it at another school, especially in another state.
As a dependent student, in many states if your parents are not physically present in the state (as residents), you will not receive state aid.
It’s up to that state or program who is eligible. Some states don’t even HAVE state grants, some base it on merit (and usually for their h.s. grads only), some base it on income levels, some just on being a resident.
The likely answer is no, you won’t qualify for grants, and even if you will it won’t be immediately.
there may be some, but I’ve never seen a state not have a req’t that the student either graduate from their state’s high schools, have some sort of military excuse, or their parent lived there but the student went to boarding school outside the state.
I think the states do that so that they’re not targeted for the OP’s reason.
Colorado’s doesn’t require you to have graduated from a state high school, but you have to be a resident and have been one for a year. Some states have financial aid for low income residents (Florida, but not Bright Futures) and Florida has a resident grant for private schools. Since it is so easy to become a Utah or Missouri resident, if they have anything for residents, it’s possible they are for everyone.
I don’t think the OP will qualify, but he needs to look into it.
If the OP has no family support, but is not considered an independent student for FAFSA, I would suggest that s/he works for a year or two full time and saves up money, and then finishes school when s/he is 24.
If SAP was not met, s/he needs to find out what it would take to regain eligibility for federal aid. Because s/he will need it when transferring to the 4 yr school. S/he might have to save up money and pay for one or two community college classes out of pocket to meet SAP.
But s/he needs to get the information from the FA office about what needs to be done.
OP will only have aid for a few more years, the goal is to get a degree.