The most recent report on homelessness in the U.S. published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contains some important statistics. While the number of homeless in the United States slightly increased between 2020 and 2022, the number of families with children experiencing homelessness and the number of people under the age of 25 who experienced homelessness on their own as unaccompanied youth declined (by 6% and 12% respectively). However, it’s also estimated that nearly 50,800 families with children experienced homelessness in 2022, while there were still over 30,000 homeless unaccompanied youth.* If you’re experiencing homelessness, you need to know that there is guidance available when it’s time to fill out the FAFSA.
Homelessness
The FAFSA asks up to three questions about homelessness. They all ask if you’ve been determined to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless any time since July 1 of the year prior to the academic year for which you will need financial aid for college. This determination can be given by 1) a high school or district homeless liaison, 2) a director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or 3) a director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program.
If you answer yes to any one of the questions about homelessness, you’ll be considered an independent student; therefore, you won’t have to provide your parents’ income information on your FAFSA. Later, you may be asked by a financial aid administrator to provide a copy of the homeless youth determination. If you did not receive a determination provided by one of the officials listed above, you’ll be considered a dependent student on the FAFSA, but you may ask a financial aid administrator to consider making their own determination. The administrator will probably ask you for additional documentation from those who are familiar with your situation before reaching a decision.
When providing a street address on your FAFSA, follow these instructions given by the U.S. Department of Education: “You must provide a mailing address where you can reliably receive mail. Your mailing address can be the address of a relative or friend who has given you permission to use it, or it can be your college’s address. If you want to use your college’s address, you must contact the school for permission and instructions to ensure that your mail reaches you.” Don’t forget to update your FAFSA later when you find more permanent housing.
For more information about federal student aid for homeless students, visit StudentAid.gov.
Unable to Provide Parental Information
If you’re not homeless, you may still be in a situation where you’re unable to provide information about your parents’ income and assets due to special circumstances. If you’re in this situation, you’ll be given the opportunity to state on the FAFSA that you’re unable to provide parental information. Common reasons for this are:
- you had to leave home due to abuse, abandonment or neglect
- your parents are deceased and you haven’t been adopted
- you have no contact with your parents and you don’t know how to reach them.
If one of these special circumstances applies to you, or there is any other extreme situation that you believe would qualify you as an independent student, submit your FAFSA without parental information, and then contact the financial aid office at your college of interest to discuss your options. Ask what you would need to do to be considered an independent student due to your current circumstances. Only a financial aid officer is able to change your dependency status.
Decreased Income
You’ll be using your 2021 income information on your 2023-24 FAFSA. If your income (or that of your parents) is currently less than it was in 2021, you may ask your financial aid counselor about reducing the amount of the income on your FAFSA to more accurately reflect your current situation. First, submit your FAFSA with the accurate information that was reported in 2021, and then call the financial aid office at your college of interest to ask if they can adjust your income to your current level. They will ask for proof of your current income, consider your request and let you know if they can make that change. Only a financial aid officer is able to make a change to the income reported on your FAFSA for this reason.
Remember This
More and more attention is being given to students who are challenged by circumstances beyond their control. The financial aid office at your college is on your side, and it will do whatever it can within the laws that govern financial aid and within school policies to remove obstacles that may stand in your way. We wish you the best as you begin your journey to a brighter future!
For more information, check out the 2022 Homeless Assessment Report.