Dependency Status Appeal Policy

You indicated on your FAFSA or to a staff member at Wright State that you may have an unusual circumstance that could affect your dependency status. Annually, and on a case-by-case basis, the Office of Financial Aid may approve a dependency override, which allows a student who would normally be considered dependent to be classified as independent.   This means parental information would not be required on the FAFSA​​​​​​. 

Qualifying Circumstances for a Dependency Override

Conditions that qualify for dependency override include students, under the age of 24, who cannot rely on parental support from either parent because each parent meets one of the following criteria:

• Parent is deceased.
• Parent is incarcerated.
• Unusual parental circumstances may include the following situations:
  • Unknown whereabouts of parent
  • Abusive family environment
  • Abandonment by parent
  • Student is a victim of human trafficking
  • Student has refugee or asylee status and is separated from their parents, or their parents are displaced in a foreign country

Circumstances That Do Not Qualify for a Dependency Override

The following situations, alone or combined, do not qualify for dependency override:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification.
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

Next Steps

If you have unusual circumstances and would like to appeal your dependency status, please complete the Dependency Status Appeal Form available on our Forms page. Visit the Dependency Override Policy or contact Enrollment Services for more information. 

If you do not have unusual circumstances and need to add your parent(s)’ information to your FAFSA, you can make corrections by following the instructions below.

How do you make changes to your FAFSA and add a parental contributor?

• Log in to http://studentaid.gov using your FSA ID
• Find the correct FAFSA submission for the aid year and click on it
• Navigate to the Actions Tab at the top right of the page and select “Make Corrections.”
• If you have an action required, start a correction by selecting “Start Your Correction.”
• If you are starting a voluntary correction, select the “Actions” button, and then start a new correction by selecting “Make a Correction.”
• Navigate to Student Homelessness Question and answer NO
• Student Unusual Circumstances: NO
• You will receive a Dependency Status Notification and need to invite a Parent as a Contributor (you will need their email address).
• Continue to Sign Student Section
• Submit your corrected information