There are very specific rules about which parent fills out the FAFSA. It is the parent’s home where the child spends the most nights in the prior year. If the student files the FAFSA on Dec 1, who did the child spend the most nights with from Dec 1, 2017 to Nov 30, 2018?
Yes, this can be planed, especially if the parents live close and the student can go back and forth during the school year, but can also work if the student can spend month in the summer or other time off. If the student ends up with a EFC $0, he’ll get ~$6100 as a Pell grant and maybe some other FA from the state or the school. It’s unlikely to be enough to avoid loans.