<p>I'm trying to see what my ranges are for getting a Stafford loan, but I'm trying to figure out if I'm independent or dependent.</p>
<p>I'll be attending college away from home in a dorm. They'll be paying about 25% of my college. I'm paying the rest between a job, the Tennessee HOPE scholarship and a little bit from Uncle Sam. But how much is a little? I'm guesstimating that I'd need around $3k/year.</p>
<p>If you are under 24, have a live parent, and are an undergrad it is likely you are dependent. The majority of undergrads are dependents for FA purposes.</p>
<p>When you completed FAFSA you answered a series of dependency questions. Some other things that might make you independent is if you are married, are a veteran, have a dependent you provide >50% support for, are a ward of the court.</p>
<p>Being 24 or over is the most common definition of “independent,” although there are few other special circumstances that quality, as swimcatsmom highlighted.</p>
<p>Go to this link: [FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before015.htm]FAFSA”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before015.htm). Download the worksheet. If you can’t answer yes to any of the questions, you are dependent.</p>
<p>Since some students are confused about what a legal guardian is, let me explain: a legal guardian is someone other than a parent who is given the authority by a court of law to act in the place of a parent. The key is that it is not your parent … and that it is a formal arrangement (through the courts).</p>