Can You Get College Financial Aid If You Are Emancipated?
College financial aid provides access to loans, grants and scholarships to assist students who are in need of financial assistance to help pay for their higher education. An emancipated student is a student who has had his relationship to his parents legally severed. Prior to the 2009-2010 school year, emancipation was not considered to be a factor in determining a student's eligibility for financial aid.
Definition
According to the California Community College Chancellor's Office, to be an emancipated student for purposes of federal financial aid you must be a youth who has obtained a court order legally releasing you from control of your parent or guardian. The court order must have been obtained from your state of legal residence.
College Cost Reduction Access Act (CCRA)
The College Cost Reduction Access Act (CCRA) improved access to financial aid for orphans, students from foster care and emancipated students. The CCRA became effective as of January 2009 for the 2009-2010 school year.
Independent Student
Your status as an emancipated minor gives you wider access to federal, state and private financial aid. The Application and Verification Guide (AVG) from the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) states that you are considered an independent student if you are were an emancipated minor before the age of majority, or 18 years old.
Financial Aid Application
To apply for financial aid, you must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Part of the application will prompt you to enter data about your parents. If you do not enter parent data your initial Independent Student Report (ISR) will be rejected with a special circumstances flag. Your application will be reviewed by your school's financial aid office and you will be required to provide them with a copy of your court order. You may be asked to fill out a form to verify that you are an emancipated minor.
Warning
The court order for emancipation must be in effect at the time of your financial aid application for you to be considered emancipated. In addition, if you were over the age of 18 at the time of the court's decision, you will be considered a dependent student for financial aid purposes, even if your parents are not supporting you.
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