If you can answer “Yes” to any of the following questions, you are considered an independent student on the 2021–22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, and you generally won’t need to provide your parents’ information:
However, if you can answer “No” to all of the above questions, you’re considered a dependent student and generally your parents must provide parental information on your FAFSA form.
If you have a special circumstance that prevents you from providing parental information, you may still be able to submit your FAFSA form. However, your FAFSA form will be considered incomplete. You must contact the financial office at your college or career school and provide them with documentation to verify your situation. Learn about what to do if your parents are unwilling to provide their information on your FAFSA form.
Note: Law school and health profession students may be required to provide parental information regardless of their dependency status.