Help for Financial Aid Estimate

Marital Status

Select the answer that describes your marital status as of the day you plan to apply for financial aid. If your marital status has changed or will change since the time the application was initially filed, contact the institution's financial aid office for assistance.

Married/remarried does not mean living together unless the student's state of legal residence recognizes the relationship as a common law marriage.

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Enrollment

Indicate whether the student will be full time, 3/4 time, half time, less than half time, or not attending. Select Full Time/Not sure if the student is not sure.

For undergraduates, the following definitions generally apply:

Enrollment Status Term Hours Full Time/Not sure - At least 12 credit hours in a term or 24 clock hours per week

3/4 time - At least 9 credit hours in a term or 18 clock hours per week

1/2 time - At least 6 credit hours in a term or 12 clock hours per week

Less than 1/2 time - Fewer than 6 credit hours in a term or less than 12 clock hours per week

Not attending - The student does not expect to attend this term

Institutions use the student's enrollment status to determine the student's financial aid. If the student changes his or her enrollment status, the institution's financial aid office may be required to adjust the student's aid package to reflect these changes. The timing of the change, how much aid is available, and various other criteria determine this adjustment.

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Grade Year

Select the student's grade level in college. If the student is currently a senior in high school or will be a first-time entering freshman, select Never attended college/1st year.

"Grade level" does not mean the number of years the student has attended college, but the student's grade level in regard to completing his or her degree or certificate. A student who is not enrolled full-time will require more years than a full-time student to reach the same grade level.

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Grade Level
  • Never attended college/1st year
  • Attended college before/1st year 2nd year undergraduate/sophomore
  • 3rd year undergraduate/junior
  • 4th year undergraduate/senior
  • 5th year undergraduate/other undergraduate
  • 1st year graduate/professional
  • Continuing graduate/professional or beyond

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Dependent Status

For federal financial aid purposes, a student is considered dependent if he or she can answer No to all of these questions:

  • Was the student born before January 1, 1980?
  • During the school year 2003-2004, will the student be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, Ph.D., Ed.D., graduate certificate, etc.)?
  • Is the student married?
  • Does the student have children who receive more than half of their support from the student?
  • Does the student have dependents other than the student's children or spouse?
  • Is the student an orphan, or is the student or was the student (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?
  • Is the student a veteran?

If the student is dependent, the student must provide information about his or her parents when the student applies for federal student aid.

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Independent

For federal financial aid purposes, a student is independent if he or she can answer Yes to any of these questions:

  • Was the student born before January 1, 1980?
  • During the school year 2003-2004, will the student be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, Ph.D., Ed.D., graduate certificate, etc.)?
  • Is the student married?
  • Does the student have children who receive more than half of their support from the student?
  • Does the student have dependents other than the student's children or spouse?
  • Is the student an orphan, or is the student or was the student (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?
  • Is the student a veteran?

If the student claims to be independent, the student's institution may ask the student to verify the answers to these questions before the student can receive any federal student aid. If the student claims unusual circumstances that might make the student independent, the student should contact the institution's financial aid office.

If the student is a graduate health profession student, the student may be required to provide information about his or her parents even if the student is independent. If the student is unsure whether his or her course of study is considered a graduate health profession program, the student should contact the institution's financial aid office.

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Adjusted Gross Income

What is the student's (and his/her spouse's) adjusted gross income for 2002 (question 39)?

This information may be on the following forms:

  • IRS Form 1040 - line 35;
  • 1040A - line 21;
  • 1040EZ-line 4; or
  • Telefile-line I.

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Number in Household

The number in household will include:

  1. The student
  2. Student’s spouse
  3. Children who will receive more than half of their support from the student. The student may include any unborn children if they will be born during the school year.
  4. People who are not the student's children but who live with the student and receive more than half of their support from the student, and the student will continue to provide more than half of their support.

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Number in College

The number of people in the student's household, including the student, who will be college students. Count the student as a college student even if he or she will attend college less than half time. Do not include the student's parents. Include others only if they will be enrolled as at least a half time student in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate.

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Number of Exemptions

Enter the student's (and his/her spouse's) exemptions for the tax year (question 41).

This information may be on the following forms:

  • IRS Form 1040-line 6d
  • 1040A-line 6d
  • 1040EZ or Telefile