In recent years,
questions about the circumstances surrounding homelessness have been added to
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to give homeless students
the help they need when considering college. Three questions about homelessness
canned be summed up this way:
At any time on or after July 1 [in the year
prior to the academic year covered by this FAFSA], did an official* determine
that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting
and at risk of being homeless?
*This determination
can be given by:
- A high
school or school district homeless liaison,
- A
director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or
- A
director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living
program.
If you answer yes to
any one of the ‘homelessness’ questions, you’ll be considered an independent
student and will not be required to provide your parents’ income information on
your FAFSA. Later on, though, you may be asked by a financial aid administrator
to provide a copy of the homeless youth determination. If you did not receive a determination provided by
one of the officials listed above, you’ll be considered a dependent student on the FAFSA, but you may ask a financial aid
administrator to consider making their own determination. The administrator
will probably ask you for additional documentation before reaching a decision.
To clarify some of
the terms used in the questions about homelessness, an unaccompanied student is one who is not in the physical custody of
a parent or guardian. The term youth refers
to someone who is 21 years of age or younger or is still enrolled in high school at the time they submit their
FAFSA. A student is considered homeless if he or she lacks fixed,
regular, and adequate housing. This includes students who are living in
shelters, motels, cars, or parks, or who are temporarily living with other
people because they have nowhere else to go. Students are also considered
homeless if they are fleeing an abusive parent who would otherwise provide the
student with financial support and a place to live. A self-supporting student is one who covers his/her own living
expenses.
Often, homeless
students ask about how to report their mailing address on the FAFSA. According
to the U.S. Department of Education, “You must provide a mailing address where
you can reliably receive mail. Your mailing address can be the address of a
relative or friend who has given you permission to use it, or it can be your
college’s address. If you want to use your college’s address, you must contact
the school for permission and instructions to ensure that your mail reaches
you.” Don’t forget to update your FAFSA later when you find more permanent
housing.
For more information and a list of additional resources for homeless
students, read:
Questions
and Answers: Federal Student Aid and Homeless Youth and
FAFSA
Tips for Unaccompanied Youth
