Submission	of	a	court	order	or	official	state	documentation	that	the	student	received	federal	or	state	support	in
foster	care.
A	documented	phone	call,	written	statement,	or	verifiable	electronic	data	match	from
a	state,	county,	or	tribal	agency	administering	a	program	under	part	B	or	E	of	Title	IV	of	the	Social	Security	Act
(42	U.S.C.	621	et	seq.	and	670	et	seq.);
a	state	Medicaid	agency;	or
a	public	or	private	foster	care	placing	agency	or	foster	care	facility	or	placement.
A	documented	phone	call	or	a	written	statement	from	an	attorney,	guardian	ad	litem,	or	Court	Appointed	Special
Advocate.
Verification	of	the	student9s	eligibility	for	an	education	and	training	voucher	under	the	John	H.	Chafee	Foster	Care
Program	under	section	477	of	the	Social	Security	Act	(42	U.S.C.	677).
A	documented	phone	call	or	written	statement	from	a	financial	aid	administrator	who	documented	the	student9s
circumstance	in	the	same	or	a	prior	award	year.
Emancipation	and	Legal	Guardianship
Students	are	independent	if	they	are,	or	were	upon	reaching	the	age	of	majority,	legally	emancipated	minors	(released
from	control	of	their	parent	or	guardian)	or	in	legal	guardianship,	both	as	adjudicated	by	a	court	of	competent	jurisdiction
in	their	state	of	legal	residence	at	the	time	of	the	adjudication.	The	emancipation	must	be	determined	by	a	court,	not	by
an	attorney,	though	the	basis	for	it	can	vary	by	state.
Students	placed	in	legal	guardianship	to	their	parents4e.g.,	if	they	are	disabled	adults	and	under	their	parents9	care4are
not	independent	for	Title	IV	program	purposes.	Similarly,	guardianship	of	a	person9s	estate	does	not	qualify	as	a	legal
guardianship	of	the	student	for	this	purpose.	If	the	student9s	documentation	says	<custody=	instead	of	<guardianship,=
they	should	contact	you	for	additional	guidance.	Most	states	have	a	clear	definition	of	legal	guardianship	that	is	distinct
from	custody,	but	if	a	given	state	does	not,	ask	your	school9s	legal	counsel	for	help	with	this	question.
Unaccompanied	Homeless	Youth
A	student	is	independent	if,	at	any	time	on	or	after	July	1,	2024,	the	student	is	determined	to	be	an	unaccompanied	youth
who	is	homeless	or	is	self-supporting	and	at	risk	of	being	homeless.	In	determining	independence	due	to	homelessness,
you	must	consider	documentation	from	any	of	the	following	entities4provided	through	a	documented	phone	call,	written
statement,	or	verifiable	electronic	data	match4to	be	adequate:
A	local	educational	agency	homeless	liaison	(or	designee),	as	designated	by	the	McKinney-Vento	Homeless
Assistance	Act	(42	U.S.C.	11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)).
The	director	(or	designee)	of	an	emergency	or	transitional	shelter,	street	outreach	program,	homeless	youth	drop-in
center,	or	other	program	serving	individuals	who	are	experiencing	homelessness.
The	director	(or	designee)	of	a	Federal	TRIO	program	or	a	Gaining	Early	Awareness	and	Readiness	for	Undergraduate
program	(GEAR	UP)	grant.
A	financial	aid	administrator	at	another	institution	who	documented	the	student9s	circumstance	in	the	same	or	a	prior
award	year.
In	the	absence	of	a	determination	by	the	entities	above,	you,	the	FAA,	must	make	a	case-by-case	determination	of
homeless	youth	status	(see	Chapter	5)	based	upon	a	written	statement	from,	or	a	documented	interview	with,	the	student
that	confirms	that	they	are	an	unaccompanied	homeless	youth,	or	unaccompanied,	at	risk	of	homelessness,	and	self-
supporting.
Apply	for	a	Direct	Unsubsidized	Loan	Only	(8)
A	student	whose	parents	are	unwilling	to	provide	their	information	on	the	student9s	FAFSA	form	but	who	does	not	have	an
unusual	circumstance	(as	defined	in	Question	7)	may	request	that	an	FAA	review	their	eligibility	for	only	a	Direct
Unsubsidized	Loan	by	selecting	<Yes=	to	this	question.
Family	Size	(9)
Under	the	FAFSA	Simplification	Act,	family	size	(formerly	<household	size=)	aligns	with	the	number	of	exemptions	(which