Questions 48-55 (Dependency questions - All applicants must complete)

These questions appear in Step 2 of the online FAFSA (FAFSA on the Web) or in Step Three of the paper FAFSA.

Purpose: These questions are used to determine, according to law, whether you are a dependent or an independent student for purposes of calculating an EFC. If you answer "No" to all of these questions, you are a dependent student, even if you do not live with your parents. On a case-by-case basis, a financial aid administrator (FAA) may make an otherwise dependent student independent if he or she can document in the student's file that the student's individual circumstances warrant the decision. The reason must relate to that individual student and not to an entire class of students. The FAA's decision is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.

A dependent student moves on to Questions 56-89, and provides information about his or her parents in the purple areas of the paper FAFSA or in the area designated for parental income on FAFSA on the Web. An independent student skips Questions 56-89 and picks up with Question 90 and continues through to the end of the application.

You must answer all of the following questions:

48. Were you born before January 1, 1984? Note that if you were born on January 1, 1984, you should answer "No."

49. At the beginning of the 2007-08 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, Ph.D., EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)? You should answer, "Yes" if you will be enrolled in a master's or doctorate program in the initial term you attend in 2007-08. If you will be finishing your bachelor's degree in the initial term of the school year and then moving on to a master's or doctorate you should first answer Question 49 as "No." Once you have completed the undergraduate degree, this Question should be corrected to "Yes" and resubmitted. You should also notify your FAA.

A graduate or professional student is not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, an ACG Grant, a National SMART Grant, or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, so if you incorrectly report that you are a graduate or professional student, you will need to correct this answer to receive any of these federal grants as an undergraduate student who is otherwise eligible.

50. As of today, are you married? Answer "Yes" if you are legally married on the date you complete the application. As previously stated under the instructions for Question 16, marital status cannot be projected. "Married" does not mean living together unless your state recognizes your relationship as common-law marriage. Answer "Yes" if you are separated but not divorced.

51. Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you? "Support" means financial support. An applicant whose unborn child will be born before the end of the award year (June 30, 2008) may answer "Yes." Note that the financial support is the issue here; it does not matter whether the child lives with you or not.

52. 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, 2008? Again, the FAFSA is asking about financial support. In this question, the people supported must live with you throughout the award year.

53. Are (a) both of your parents deceased or (b) are you (or were you until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?You should answer, "Yes" if both of your parents are deceased and you don't have an adoptive parent. If both your parents are deceased but you have a legal guardian, you should still answer, "Yes" to this question.

Answer "Yes" if you are currently a ward/dependent of the court or were a ward/dependent of the court until age 18.

You are not considered a ward/dependent of the court based solely on emancipation (when a child is released from the control of a parent or guardian) or incarceration.

54. Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? Answer "Yes" if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces or are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who is on active duty for other than state or training purposes. Answer "No" if you are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who is on active duty for state or training purposes.

55. Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? You should answer "Yes" if

• You have engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard), or you were a member of the National Guard or Reserves who was called to active duty for purposes other than training, or you were a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies, and
• You were released under a condition other than dishonorable. Box 24 of the DD214 indicates the "Character of Service." If anything other than "dishonorable" appears in that box, you should answer, "Yes" to this question, as long as you were called to active service. There is no minimum amount of time the student has to have served to be considered a veteran for federal student aid purposes, but the service does have to be considered "active service." If "dishonorable" appears in box 24, you must answer "No" to Question 54.

You should also answer "Yes" if you are not a veteran now but will be one by June 30, 2008.

You should answer "No" (you are not a veteran) if

• You have never engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces,
• You are currently an ROTC student or a cadet or midshipman at a service academy, or
• You are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee activated only for training purposes.

Note that if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and will continue to serve through June 30, 2008, you should answer "No" to this particular question.

If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions 48-55, you should now skip to Question 90. If you answered "No" to every one of these questions, continue with Question 56. If you are a health professions student, your school may require you to complete Questions 56-89 even if you answered "Yes" to any of the dependency questions.