In this Article
- Circumstances for Which a Dependency Override Is Allowed
- Circumstances for Which a Dependency Override Is Not Allowed
- Request an Initial Dependency Override
- Dependency Override Appeal
- Renew Your Dependency Override
Dependency Override
In the event that you have unusual circumstances and cannot provide your parent information on the FAFSA, you may be eligible for a dependency override from the Financial Aid Department. This would make you an independent student for financial aid purposes and you would not need your parent's information or signature to receive financial aid.
Circumstances for Which a Dependency Override Is Allowed
The Financial Aid Department may override only from dependent to independent status on the FAFSA. If you experience any of the unusual circumstances below, it may warrant a dependency override:
- You have been subjected to human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.)
- You are legally granted refugee or asylum status
- You are experiencing parental abandonment or estrangement
- You or your parent(s) are incarcerated
Circumstances for Which a Dependency Override Is Not Allowed
The conditions listed below, singly or in combination, do not qualify as unusual circumstances meriting a dependency override:
- Your parent(s) refuse to contribute to your education.
- Your parents are unwilling to provide information on the application or for verification.
- Your parents do not claim you as a dependent for income tax purposes.
- You demonstrate total self-sufficiency.
Please Note: If you are an unaccompanied youth and homeless, or at risk of homelessness, please review the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determination article.
Request an Initial Dependency Override
If you have experienced any of the unusual circumstances listed above, please contact the Financial Aid Department by submitting a request online using the Financial Aid Request Form to request a Dependency Override Appeal. You may also call (626) 914-8592 and select option 4 to speak with a financial aid technician.
Unusual Circumstances Appeal
If a dependency override appeal has been assigned to you by the Financial Aid Department, you will complete it online at citruscollege.studentforms.com
Step 1: Complete the Unusual Circumstances Appeal
A completed Dependency Override Appeal must include the following items:
A signed statement describing your unusual circumstances.
- It is important to be as detailed as possible.
- Provide a personal statement indicating your relationship with your biological mother and father.
Documentation (evidence) to establish your unusual circumstances
- Must be from a third party that knows your situation and can establish your unusual circumstances.
- A third party may include a teacher, counselor, medical authority, member of the clergy, prison administrator, government agency, or court
- Evidence can be a signed letter or an official document, such as a court order.
- If third-party documentation is not available, contact the Financial Aid Department to determine if alternative documentation can be considered.
Need help?
Schedule a Dependency Appeal Consultation with a Financial Aid Technician, virtually for a private 1:1 meeting to discuss your circumstances and to determine what documentation is required for your determination.
Step 2: Wait for notification from the Financial Aid Department
It can take up to two to three weeks for your appeal to be reviewed by a financial aid administrator. It is important that you check citruscollege.studentforms.com regularly to view the status of your appeal. In some cases, additional documentation may be requested. If you do not submit documentation to support your appeal, it will be subject to denial. Submission of an appeal does not guarantee a dependency override will be approved.
Step 3: View your Dependency Override Status
APPROVED
If your appeal is approved, the Financial Aid Department will notify the Department of Education that a Dependency Override has been authorized. The Department of Education will then send Citrus College a new FAFSA that is not in rejected status. Please allow up to 10 business days for the Department of Education to send the new FAFSA to Citrus College. Once Citrus College receives it, we will notify you if additional verification is required.
DENIED
If your appeal is denied, your FAFSA will remain in rejected status. You will be required to provide the required information about your parent(s) and obtain their signature. Once the FAFSA has been completed, please allow 10 business days for Citrus College to receive and process your completed FAFSA.
Renew Your Dependency Override
If your circumstances have not changed, continue to report your unusual circumstances on your annual FAFSA. Citrus College will then presume that you continue to be eligible for a dependency override and will notify the Department of Education on your behalf. A dependency override may be denied in a subsequent aid year if you inform Citrus College that your circumstances have changed or we receive conflicting information about your independence. You do not need to submit another appeal.
If you have not been enrolled at Citrus College for more than one aid year, you must notify the Financial Aid Department that your situation has not changed since the final determination was made, and the financial aid administrator must document this statement using a signed statement in citruscollege.studentforms.com. Please contact the Financial Aid Department by submitting a request online using the Financial Aid Request Form to request the department to assign you a form to provide your statement. You may also call (626) 914-8592 and select option 4 to speak with a financial aid technician.