Determining Dependency Status

For the 2012-2013, school year, a student is considered to be dependent for the purpose of receiving federal student aid if he/she can answer "no" to all of the following questions:

  1. Were you born before January 1, 1989?
  2. As of today, are you married? (Answer "Yes" if you are separated, but not divorced.)
  3. At the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)?
  4. Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
  5. Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
  6. Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013?
  7. Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2013?
  8. At anytime since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
  9. Are you or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence at the time you received the determination?
  10. Are you or were you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence at the time you received the determination?
  11. At any time on or after July 1, 2010, did your high school or school district homeless liason determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
  12. At any time on or after July 1, 2010, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
  13. At any time on or after July 1, 2010, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

If the student is dependent, then the student and the student’s parents are expected to complete the FAFSA and share the responsibility to pay for educational costs*. If the student is independent and not married, only the student is responsible for paying educational expenses and only the student’s information needs to be provided on the FAFSA. If the student is married, both the student and the spouse’s income and asset information must be provided and are used in calculating the Expected Family Contribution.

*Parental information must be provided by your birth parents or adoptive parents. Parental information cannot be provided by grandparents, legal guardians, or foster parents.

Robert Morris University is a private, not-for-profit associate, baccalaureate, and master's degree-granting institution, accredited by the Higher learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (230 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604, 312.263.0456). RMU serves over 7000 students interested in getting an education that meets the demands of today's business, graphic arts, health care, culinary and technical world at its main campus in Chicago as well as at locations in Arlington Heights, DuPage, Elgin, Orland Park, Bensenville, Schaumburg, Springfield, Peoria and Lake County.