{"id":40658,"date":"2020-04-01T13:25:59","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T21:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/?p=40658"},"modified":"2022-04-13T10:15:49","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T17:15:49","slug":"independent-vs-dependent-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/refinance-student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>Your first step to getting financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) \u2014 but you\u2019ll fill it out a little differently depending on whether you\u2019re an independent vs. dependent student.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p>This is because your dependency status determines if you\u2019ll include information from both you and your parents \u2014 or yours alone.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s what you need to know about independent vs. dependent students:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"#difference-between-independent-and-dependent-students\">What is the difference between independent and dependent students?<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#when-you-are-considered-dependent-student\">When are you considered a dependent student?<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#when-you-are-considered-independent-student\">When are you considered an independent student?<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#what-to-do-if-you-have-special-circumstance\">What to do if you have a special circumstance<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#you-can-try-to-appeal-your-status\">You can try to appeal your status<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#financing-your-education\">Financing your education<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><a name=\"difference-between-independent-and-dependent-students\"><\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>What is the difference between independent and dependent students?<\/h2>\r\n<p>Your dependency status affects what information you&#8217;ll include on the FAFSA.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><b>If you\u2019re a dependent student<\/b>, you have to report information from both you and your parents.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>If you\u2019re an independent student<\/b>, you only have to report your own information (and your spouse\u2019s, if you\u2019re married).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nces.ed.gov\/pubs2018\/2018418.pdf\">National Center for Education Statistics<\/a>, independent students make up 55% of all FAFSA completions. However, that number includes both undergraduate and graduate-level students. For undergraduate college applicants alone, most students tend to be dependent.<\/p>\r\n<p><b><i>Learn More: <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/applying-for-fafsa\/\"><b><i>How to Apply for FAFSA<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><a name=\"when-you-are-considered-dependent-student\"><\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>You\u2019re considered a dependent student if:<\/h2>\r\n<p>For financial aid purposes, you can still be considered a dependent student if you don\u2019t live with or receive financial support from your parents \u2014 or even if they refuse to help you with the financial aid process altogether.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you\u2019re filling out the FAFSA for the 2020-2021 school year, you\u2019re considered a dependent student if the following applies:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>You were born after Jan. 1, 1997.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not married.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not working on either a master\u2019s or doctorate degree.<\/li>\r\n<li>You don\u2019t have children or dependents who receive at least half their financial support from you.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not a veteran.<\/li>\r\n<li>Your parents aren\u2019t deceased.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not in foster care, and you\u2019re not a ward of the court.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not an emancipated minor.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re not an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If you&#8217;re an undergraduate dependent student, you might qualify for either Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans. You might also be able to get private student loans to help fill any gaps.<\/p>\r\n<p>Before you take out student loans, it&#8217;s a good idea to consider how much they could cost you over time. Find out how much you\u2019ll owe over the life of your federal or private student loans using our student loan calculator below.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"calculator loan\">\n<div class=\"inputs container\">\n\n\t<p>Enter your loan information<span class=\"hidden-md-up\"> to calculate how much you could pay<\/span><\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"row form-groups\">\n  <div class=\"col-xs-8 col-lg\">\n    <div class=\"form-group\">\n  \t\t<label for=\"loan-amount\">Loan amount<\/label>\n  \t\t<span class=\"badge badge-pill\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n  \t\t\t?\t<span class=\"tip \">\n\t\t<span class=\"tip-content\">Enter the total amount borrowed<\/span>\n\t\t<span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t  \t\t<\/span>\n  \t\t<span class=\"input-group loan-amount\">\n  \t\t\t<span class=\"input-group-addon\">$<\/span>\n  \t\t\t<input type=\"number\" value=\"20000\" step=\"1000\" name=\"loan-amount\" id=\"loan-amount\" aria-label=\"Loan amount\" class=\"form-control\" inputmode=\"numeric\" pattern=\"[0-9]*\">\n  \t\t<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"col-xs-6 col-lg\">\n    <div class=\"form-group\">\n  \t\t<label for=\"interest-rate\">Interest rate<\/label>\n  \t\t<span class=\"badge badge-pill\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n  \t\t\t?\t<span class=\"tip \">\n\t\t<span class=\"tip-content\">Enter your annual interest rate<\/span>\n\t\t<span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t  \t\t<\/span>\n  \t\t<span class=\"input-group interest-rate\">\n  \t\t\t<input type=\"number\" value=\"4\" step=\".01\" min=\".01\" max=\"100\" name=\"interest-rate\" id=\"interest-rate\" aria-label=\"Interest rate\" class=\"form-control\">\n  \t\t\t<span class=\"input-group-addon\">%<\/span>\n  \t\t<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\t\t<span class=\"between\">or<\/span>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"col-xs-6 col-lg\">\n    <div class=\"form-group\">\n  \t\t<label for=\"loan-term\">Loan term<\/label>\n  \t\t<span class=\"badge badge-pill\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n  \t\t\t?\t<span class=\"tip \">\n\t\t<span class=\"tip-content\">Enter the amount of time you have to repay your loan<\/span>\n\t\t<span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t  \t\t<\/span>\n  \t\t<span class=\"input-group loan-term\">\n  \t\t\t<input name=\"loan-term\" value=\"10\" step=\"1\" min=\"1\" max=\"50\" id=\"loan-term\" aria-label=\"Loan term\" type=\"number\" class=\"form-control\" inputmode=\"numeric\" pattern=\"[0-9]*\">\n  \t\t\t<span class=\"input-group-addon\">years<\/span>\n  \t\t<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"outputs container\">\n\n  <div class=\"results row\">\n  <div class=\"col-xs-6 col-sm-4 col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n  \tTotal Payment\n  \t<big>$<span class=\"total-payment\"><\/span><\/big>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"col-xs-6 col-sm-4 col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n  \tTotal Interest\n  \t<big>$<span class=\"total-interest\"><\/span><\/big>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-4 col-md-12 col-lg-4\">\n  \tMonthly Payment\n  \t<big>$<span class=\"monthly-payment\"><\/span><\/big>\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <p class=\"results-sentence\">\n    With a\n    <strong>$<span class=\"output-loan-amount\"><\/span><\/strong>\n        loan, you will pay\n    <strong>$<span class=\"monthly-payment\"><\/span><\/strong>\n    monthly and a total of\n    <strong>$<span class=\"total-interest\"><\/span><\/strong>\n    in interest over the life of your loan. You will pay a total of\n    <strong>$<span class=\"total-payment\"><\/span><\/strong>\n    over the life of the\n    loan, assuming you're making full payments while in school.\n  <\/p>\n\n  <hr \/>\n  <div class=\"cta\">\n     <strong>Need a student loan?<\/strong> <br \/>Compare rates without affecting your credit score. 100% free! <br \/><a class=\"btn btn-lg btn-warning\" href=\"\/student-loans\/start\">Check Personalized Rates<\/a> <br \/><small>Checking rates won&#8217;t affect your credit score.<\/small>   <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\r\n<p><a name=\"when-you-are-considered-independent-student\"><\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>You\u2019re considered an independent student if:<\/h2>\r\n<p>You\u2019re an independent student if you meet any of the following requirements:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>You were born before Jan. 1, 1997.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re married.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re working toward a master\u2019s or doctorate degree.<\/li>\r\n<li>You have children or dependents who receive at least half their financial support from you.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re a veteran of the U.S. armed forces.<\/li>\r\n<li>Since you turned 13, your parents are deceased, you were in foster care, or you were a dependent or ward of the court.<\/li>\r\n<li>You were an emancipated minor or someone other than a parent or stepparent had legal guardianship of you.<\/li>\r\n<li>On or after July 1, 2019, you were determined to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><strong>Tip:<\/strong> No matter if you&#8217;re a dependent or an independent student, it&#8217;s important to fill out the FAFSA before the deadline so you can take advantage of all the financial aid you&#8217;re entitled to. For the 2023-2024 academic year, you have until June 30, 2024.<\/p>\r\n<p>Also keep in mind that some aid is given on a first-come, first-served basis \u2014 so it&#8217;s wise to submit the FAFSA as early as you can, especially if you have high financial need.<\/div><\/div>\r\n<p><b><i>Learn More: <\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/paying-for-college-without-parents\/\">8 Steps If Your Parents Won\u2019t Help Pay for College<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/student-loans\/graduate-student-loans\"><b><i>9 of the Best Graduate Student Loans<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><a name=\"what-to-do-if-you-have-special-circumstance\"><\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>What to do if you have a special circumstance<\/h2>\r\n<p>There are some special circumstances that could prevent you from including your parents\u2019 information on the FAFSA, but you might still be able to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/how-to-apply-for-student-loans\/\">apply for student loans<\/a> and other financial aid. Here are some common scenarios and what to do for each of them:<\/p>\r\n<h3>1. If you\u2019re a U.S. citizen, but your parents are undocumented<\/h3>\r\n<p>If you\u2019re a U.S. citizen, you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/qualifying-for-financial-aid\/\">qualify for all possible federal financial aid<\/a> \u2014 your parents\u2019 status doesn\u2019t affect your eligibility. If your parents are concerned about filling out the FAFSA, you should know that the form doesn\u2019t ask about their citizenship status at all.<\/p>\r\n<p>If they don\u2019t have a Social Security number, enter all zeros in those fields. Your parents won\u2019t be able to sign the FAFSA electronically, since a valid Social Security number is needed to create an FSA ID. Instead, you can print out the completed FAFSA, sign it by hand, and mail it in.<\/p>\r\n<h3>2. If you have no contact with your parents<\/h3>\r\n<p>Even if you live with other family members or on your own because your parents kicked you out or were abusive, you still need to include your parents\u2019 information on the FAFSA. But if that\u2019s not an option, you can indicate on the FAFSA that a special circumstance makes getting your parents\u2019 information impossible. You can then complete the application without it.<\/p>\r\n<p>In this situation, you won\u2019t get an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/how-to-calculate-your-student-loan-expected-family-contribution-efc\/\">Expected Family Contribution<\/a> (how much your family is expected to contribute to your education costs) from your FAFSA. This means you&#8217;ll need to contact your school\u2019s financial aid office, and they\u2019ll make the final decision about your dependency status. Be prepared to submit additional information or documentation about your circumstances as well.<\/p>\r\n<h3>3. If your parents are unwilling to help you<\/h3>\r\n<p>If your parents simply won\u2019t provide you with the necessary information, select the option on the FAFSA that says \u201cI am unable to provide information about my parent(s).\u201d When prompted, select the option that you can\u2019t provide your parents\u2019 information.<\/p>\r\n<p>You\u2019ll be able to submit the FAFSA, but you\u2019ll have to contact your school\u2019s financial aid office right away. In some cases, you might be able to qualify for unsubsidized student loans on your own, depending on what the financial aid office decides. Remember that these types of loans come with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/student-loan-limits\/\">student loan limits<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><b>Other special circumstances:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Your parents are incarcerated.<\/li>\r\n<li>You don\u2019t know where your parents are and haven\u2019t been adopted.<\/li>\r\n<li>You\u2019re over 21, but not over 24 and are unaccompanied while homeless or at risk of being homeless.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><a name=\"you-can-try-to-appeal-your-status\"><\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>You can try to appeal your status<\/h2>\r\n<p>If circumstances that would affect your dependency status change after you\u2019ve completed the FAFSA, reach out to your school\u2019s financial aid office as soon as possible. In some cases, you could be eligible for additional unsubsidized student loans. Or they might be able to direct you to other resources, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/student-loans\">private student loans<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><strong>Compare student loan rates from top lenders<\/strong><\/span><br \/>You could qualify for a private student loan regardless of your dependency status.<\/p>\r\n<ul class=\"list--iconArrow accent--isGreen\">\r\n<li>Multiple lenders compete to get you the best rate<\/li>\r\n<li>Get actual rates, not estimated ones<\/li>\r\n<li>Finance almost any degree<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/student-loans\">See Your Rates<\/a> <br \/><small>Checking rates will not affect your credit<\/small><\/p>\r\n<!-- TrustBox widget - Micro Combo -->\r\n<div class=\"trustpilot-widget\" data-locale=\"en-US\" data-template-id=\"5419b6ffb0d04a076446a9af\" data-businessunit-id=\"5536ec090000ff00057eebe7\" data-style-height=\"20px\" data-style-width=\"100%\" data-theme=\"light\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustpilot.com\/review\/www.credible.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trustpilot<\/a><\/div>\r\n<!-- End TrustBox widget -->\r\n<\/div><\/div> <a name=\"financing-your-education\"><\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>Financing your education<\/h2>\r\n<p>The difference between independent vs. dependent students plays a big role in your eligibility for financial aid. Your dependency status affects what financial aid you qualify for, including subsidized and unsubsidized student loans.<\/p>\r\n<p>If the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/financial-aid-award-letters\/\">financial aid package<\/a> offered by your school doesn\u2019t fully cover your expenses, private student loans could help fill the gap. With Credible, you can easily compare multiple private student loan lenders after filling out just one form.<\/p>\r\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-218\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-218 table table-border-top table-rounded table-no-img-margin table-capitalized-column-titles tbody-has-connected-cells\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\"><strong>Lender<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-2\"><strong>Fixed rates from (APR)<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-3\"><strong>Variable rates from (APR)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/ascent\/\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A three-quarter star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-three-quarter.svg\">\n        <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\">  <span>\n    2.69%+<sup>10<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">  <span>\n    3.65%+<sup>10<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/citizens-bank\/#citizens-bank-private-student-loans\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A three-quarter star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-three-quarter.svg\">\n        <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\">  <span>\n    3.24%+<sup>1<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">  <span>\n    4.98%+<sup><\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/college-ave\/#college-ave-private-student-loans\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A three-quarter star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-three-quarter.svg\">\n        <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\">  <span>\n    2.59%+<sup>2,3<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<br \/>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">  <span>\n    3.89%+<sup>2,3<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/custom-choice\/\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A half star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-half.svg\">\n        <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\">  <span>\n    3.35%+<sup><\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">  <span>\n    3.68%+<sup><\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/invested\/#invested-private-student-loans\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A half star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-half.svg\">\n        <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\">  <span>\n    4.5%+<sup>8<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">  <span>\n    6.08%+<sup>8<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/mefa\/#mefa-private-student-loans\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A half star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-half.svg\">\n        <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\">  <span>\n    3.29%+<sup><\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">N\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><center><br \/>\n<br \/>\n        <div class=\"tablepress-rating-shortcode \">\n        <div class=\"heading__container \">\n    <span class=\"heading\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/lenders\/sallie-mae\/\">Credible Rating<\/a>\n            <\/span>\n            <div class=\"even\" data-toggle=\"tip\" data-placement=\"top left\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"icon-help m-a-0\" alt=\"Question mark icon to show more information\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/icon-help-dark.svg\">\n    <span class=\"tip\">\n        <span class=\"tip-content\" >Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology.<\/a><\/span>\n        <span class=\"tip-arrow\"><\/span>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div><div class=\"star-rating__container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A full star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-full.svg\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"star-light\" alt=\"A one-quarter star\" src=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/credible\/assets\/images\/lender-rating\/star-light-quarter.svg\">\n            <\/div>        <\/div>\n        <\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  <span>\n    2.890%<sup>9<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n -   <span>\n    17.49%<sup>9<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  <span>\n    3.75%<sup>9<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n -   <span>\n    16.370%<sup>9<\/sup>\n  <\/span>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><center><b>Compare rates without affecting<br> your credit score. 100% free!<\/b><br><br \/>\n<a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/student-loans\/start\">Compare Now<\/a><\/center><br><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><small>Lowest APRs reflect autopay, loyalty, and interest-only repayment discounts where available | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/credible-rating-lender-methodology\/\">Read our full methodology<\/a> | <sup>10<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/a\/ascent-student-loan-disclosure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ascent Disclosures<\/a> | <sup>1<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensbank.com\/student-lending\/DisclosureHub.aspx#rate-lowest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Citizens Disclosures <\/a> | <sup>2,3<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/a\/college-ave-disclosures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">College Ave Disclosures<\/a> | <sup>11<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/a\/cogfin-disclosures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Custom Choice Disclosures<\/a> | <sup>7<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/a\/edvestinu-apr-details-inschool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EDvestinU Disclosures<\/a> | <sup>8<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/a\/invested-disclosures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">INvestEd Disclosures<\/a> | <sup>9<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/a\/sallie-mae-homepage-disclosures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sallie Mae Disclosures<\/a><\/small><\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\r\n<p><em><strong>Learn More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/listing-one-college-fafsa\/\">Every College You Might be Interested in Should be on Your FAFSA<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your first step to getting financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) \u2014 but you\u2019ll fill it out a little differently depending on whether you\u2019re an independent vs.&hellip; <a class=\"more \" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/refinance-student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":40721,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1493],"class_list":["post-40658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-refinance-student-loans","tag-financial-aid-fafsa","independent-vs-dependent-status","post_tag-financial-aid-fafsa"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Part of filling out the FAFSA for federal financial aid is determining your dependency status. Here&#039;s how it works for independent vs. dependent students.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Part of filling out the FAFSA for federal financial aid is determining your dependency status. Here&#039;s how it works for independent vs. dependent students.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Credible\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/crediblelabs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-04-01T21:25:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-04-13T17:15:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1476\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"591\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kat Tretina\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@KatTretina\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@credible\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kat Tretina\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kat Tretina\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/50561ca60c7eac39b1660450e763dbb6\"},\"headline\":\"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-01T21:25:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-04-13T17:15:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1403,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png\",\"keywords\":[\"financial-aid-fafsa\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Student Loan Refinancing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/\",\"name\":\"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-01T21:25:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-04-13T17:15:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"Part of filling out the FAFSA for federal financial aid is determining your dependency status. Here's how it works for independent vs. dependent students.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png\",\"width\":1476,\"height\":591,\"caption\":\"independent vs dependent student\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/student-loans\\\/independent-vs-dependent-status\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Credible\",\"description\":\"Getting borrowers connected to the right information for student loan refinancing, student loans, and personal loans.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Credible\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2017\\\/01\\\/Picture1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2017\\\/01\\\/Picture1.png\",\"width\":901,\"height\":196,\"caption\":\"Credible\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/crediblelabs\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/credible\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/credible\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/crediblelabs\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/50561ca60c7eac39b1660450e763dbb6\",\"name\":\"Kat Tretina\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/c2e3dbd7207faf78a8670d8cab746862-150x150.png\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/c2e3dbd7207faf78a8670d8cab746862-150x150.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/c2e3dbd7207faf78a8670d8cab746862-150x150.png\",\"caption\":\"Kat Tretina\"},\"description\":\"Kat Tretina is an authority on personal finance.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/kathryntretina\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/KatTretina\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.credible.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/kat-tretina\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?","description":"Part of filling out the FAFSA for federal financial aid is determining your dependency status. Here's how it works for independent vs. dependent students.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?","og_description":"Part of filling out the FAFSA for federal financial aid is determining your dependency status. Here's how it works for independent vs. dependent students.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/","og_site_name":"Credible","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/crediblelabs\/","article_published_time":"2020-04-01T21:25:59+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-04-13T17:15:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1476,"height":591,"url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Kat Tretina","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@KatTretina","twitter_site":"@credible","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kat Tretina","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/"},"author":{"name":"Kat Tretina","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/50561ca60c7eac39b1660450e763dbb6"},"headline":"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?","datePublished":"2020-04-01T21:25:59+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-13T17:15:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/"},"wordCount":1403,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png","keywords":["financial-aid-fafsa"],"articleSection":["Student Loan Refinancing"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/","url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/","name":"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png","datePublished":"2020-04-01T21:25:59+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-13T17:15:49+00:00","description":"Part of filling out the FAFSA for federal financial aid is determining your dependency status. Here's how it works for independent vs. dependent students.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/independent-vs-dependent-student.png","width":1476,"height":591,"caption":"independent vs dependent student"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/student-loans\/independent-vs-dependent-status\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Independent vs. Dependent Student: Which Are You?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/","name":"Credible","description":"Getting borrowers connected to the right information for student loan refinancing, student loans, and personal loans.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Credible","url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Picture1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Picture1.png","width":901,"height":196,"caption":"Credible"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/crediblelabs\/","https:\/\/x.com\/credible","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/credible\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/crediblelabs"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/50561ca60c7eac39b1660450e763dbb6","name":"Kat Tretina","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/c2e3dbd7207faf78a8670d8cab746862-150x150.png","url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/c2e3dbd7207faf78a8670d8cab746862-150x150.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/c2e3dbd7207faf78a8670d8cab746862-150x150.png","caption":"Kat Tretina"},"description":"Kat Tretina is an authority on personal finance.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kathryntretina\/","https:\/\/x.com\/KatTretina"],"url":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/author\/kat-tretina\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40658"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60847,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40658\/revisions\/60847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}