<p>Through private loans, yes. FAFSA loans and other government based assistance, no.</p>
<p>As an independent student the annual eligibility for Stafford loans (which require no co signer) will be higher ($10500 for a sophomore, $12,500 for thirds years and above).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you may find that you have a very high EFC. An independent student without dependents usually has the highest EFC, due to the formula used to determine EFC. If you make a decent amount of money, don’t count on Pell. Sometimes our students who are bent on being declared independent are actually better off as dependent students.</p>
<p>There is a way to get around providing parent info & still get a Stafford loan. Schools are allowed to give unsubsidized Stafford loans to students who are unable to provide parent info but are not eligible for a dependency override: HEOA permits a school to offer an unsubsidized Stafford loan to a dependent student without parental completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if the school verifies that the student’s parent(s) does not provide financial support and refuses to file the FAFSA. Providing financial support includes not only payment by the parent(s) of educational costs, but also providing other cash and non-cash support to the student such as room and/or board.</p>
<p>This loan would be at dependent loan levels & all unsubsidized. The student would not be eligible for any other federal aid (and most likely no need based institutional aid, either).</p>
<p>On the bright side, there are many schools that do not consider need in their merit awards. Hopefully, you will consider some of those schools and your stats will make you competitive to receive such an award.</p>