Parent Info Waiver

[nontradishbish]

I am a non-traditional adult student applying to transfer from a CC to a 4 year undergrad program. When asking the finaid office about special instructions for independent students, they instructed me to fill out a parent info waiver form. The form asks for a written response on the nature of your relationship with each parent, and why it is impossible to submit their information. Has anyone had success with this? I am not exactly sure what to write. I have contact with one parent, so it’s not impossible, its just that I am 27 and married.

[thumper1]

Did you tell them you were 27 and married??

Why would you need to do this? When you complete the FAFSA, you will get to a series of questions related to dependency. You meet the age requirement and you are married…when you answer “yes” to these questions, you won’t have to provide parent financial info on the FAFSA.

I would suggest you contact the 4 year colleges and ask about the Profile. Just ask them if parent info is needed for a 27 year old, married student. They will tell you.

What state are you from?

@kelsmom?

[nontradishbish]

@thumper1 I was able to file my FAFSA as an independent, but the schools also require the CSS profile. The form is to waive the parent section of the CSS profile, which their website says independent students are not automatically exempt from.
I am from RI applying to schools in MA.

[kelsmom]

This situation reflects the fact that undergraduate financial aid is still kind of stuck in the days of people going to college full time, right out of high school. The typical student at a Profile school probably still fits this assumption, and the instructions are geared toward situations where students might be independent due to factors other than age. I would suggest just being honest … you are 27 years old and married. Tell them why you won’t be submitting parent information. I second @thumper1 ’s suggestion to call the school (s). It is possible that they may still want parent information (as some medical & law schools do), and it would be important for you to know if they have this expectation.

[Erin_s_Dad]

Unfortunately the schools that use the Profile have their own rules for data required and age cutoff.

[nontradishbish]

@“Erin’s Dad” @kelsmom thank you. I spoke via email with a finaid rep and they told me to place zeros on the CSS for parents income and then to fill out the parent info waiver form. The waiver asks for documentation that shows you are not in touch with your parent (which isn’t true in my case!), maybe I should call and clarify. Thank you all again.

[sybbie719]

look up the school’s policy regarding financial aid for uindeoendent students. many schools have policies in place that you have to be 27 years old showing 5 years of self sufficiency

what school are you applying to?

[nontradishbish]

@sybbie719 Its so hard finding information! I’m applying to Boston University and Northeastern.

[sybbie719]

For Boston University, It looks like you have to submit the Dependency status verification form

http://www.bu.edu/finaid/forms-calculators/forms/application-forms/

@BU

Federal and State Financial Aid

Boston University administers federal and state financial aid programs. Federal regulations stipulate that student applicants provide parent information on their FAFSA to apply for federal and state aid, unless they meet specific federal dependency status criteria. Information you provided on your FAFSA suggests that you may meet this criteria. However, that information must be verified.
• Please complete this Financial Aid Dependency Status Verification form and provide the specified documentation for at least one of the conditions listed. We will continue processing your financial aid application once we have received the documentation required to verify your dependency status.

• If you cannot verify that you meet at least one of the dependency statuses on this form, or believe you made an error when completing the FAFSA, you must correct your FAFSA by changing your response to one or more of the dependency questions. Also, you must provide parent information on the FAFSA. Corrections may be made by going to fafsa.gov or by calling 1-800-4-FEDAID.

• If you have a documentable extenuating circumstance other than one of the 13 conditions listed on the attached form, and that circumstance makes it impossible to provide parent information on the FAFSA, download, complete and submit a Parent Information Waiver Request form at bu.edu/finaid/forms-calculators/forms/application-forms or contact BU Financial Assistance at finaid@bu.edu or 617-353-2965.

Boston University Financial Aid

Parent information will still be required on the CSS ProfileTM if you want to be considered for BU need- based scholarship aid, even if – ultimately – you are not required to provide it on the FAFSA.

• If you have a documentable extenuating circumstance other than one of the 13 conditions listed on the attached form, and that circumstance makes it impossible to provide parent information on the CSS ProfileTM, download, complete and submit a Parent Information Waiver Request form at bu.edu/finaid/forms-calculators/forms/application-forms or contact BU Financial Assistance at finaid@bu.edu or 617-353-2965.

[sybbie719]

BU also has a parent information requirement form waiver form

It will be on the same link as other documents

@BU states

Parent Information Requirement/Waiver Request
Policy Summary

The availability of Boston University scholarship funding is limited. Eligibility for BU financial aid is based on student and parent resources, relative to the total cost of attendance. Applicants who have living parents are required, by University policy, to submit parental income and asset information, even if parental information on the FAFSA is not required.

While assisting qualified students meet the cost of attendance is a core Boston University commitment, the primary responsibility for paying educational expenses rests with the student and their parents. Students are expected to utilize available family resources, student employment opportunities, and in most instances a reasonable level of student loan borrowing.

Application Requirements

Applicants for BU need-based scholarships are required to submit the following:

 CSS ProfileTM
 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
 Parent and Student Income Documentation

Parent Information Waiver Request

If you have a documentable extenuating circumstance which makes it impossible for you to provide parental information on your financial aid application, you may petition for a waiver of this requirement using the Waiver Request form below.
Complete and submit this form via MyBU portal, or if you are a returning student to:

Boston University Financial Assistance 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Fifth Floor Boston, MA 02215 – Fax: 617-358-2792

Please note that NONE of the conditions listed below, singularly or in combination, constitute sufficient justification to approve a waiver request:
 Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education
 Parents are unwilling to provide information
 Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes
 Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency

[sybbie719]

For Northeastern, it looks like you fill out your financial aid forms and they tell you what they need.

Are you applying to the school of professional studies or as a regular transfer student.

[nontradishbish]

@sybbie719 Yes, exactly. I have completed the Dependency Verification form for BU. It is the second form that you posted that I am stuck on. Because they ask for a written statement and proof that shows a “documentable extenuating circumstance which makes it impossible for you to provide parental information” That isn’t necessarily the case for me. It’s just that I am an older student, so I am not exactly sure what to write. When I told BU finaid that I was 27 and married, they just linked me to this form.

I am applying as a regular transfer student.

[sybbie719]

@nontradishbish , You would use the second form if you cannot meet any of the requirements from the first email.

@BU states

**If you have a documentable extenuating circumstance other than one of the 13 conditions listed on the attached form, and that circumstance makes it impossible to provide parent information on the FAFSA, download, complete and submit a Parent Information Waiver Request form **

this does not pertain to you because you can document one of the 13 conditions (more than one of the 13 conditions that make you an independent student)

I was just providing information.

It looks like BU verifies everyone before they give a parental waiver and has outlined their process.

[nontradishbish]

@sybbie719 Thank you! BU told me to submit both forms, so I just repeated that I was an older student and uploaded my marriage license and birth certificate as “proof.”