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When the student starts the FAFSA using their FSA ID they will be instructed to add their parent(s) as contributors if they are a dependent student and potentially a spouse if an independent student is married. If a parent decides to start the FAFSA using their FSA ID they will be instructed to add the student as a contributor. Once added the contributors must provide the required information and provide the required information, provide consent and approval for the transfer and use of federal tax information, and sign their section of the FAFSA for the form to be considered complete.

If you are unsure who to report as your parent on the FAFSA, please review this questionnaire, or visit While completing the FAFSA, the student will also be walked through the following questionnaire to help determine which parent(s) to report on the FAFSA. If you are still unsure after reading through this and starting your FAFSA, please contact the One Stop Office:

1. Are your parents married? If yes, provide information about both parents. If no, go on to the next question.
2. Do your parents live together? If yes, provide information about both parents. If no, go on to the next question.
3. Did one parent provide more financial support than the other over the last 12 months? If yes, provide information about the parent who provided the most financial support over the past 12 months, and if the parent has remarried, give information about the stepparent as well. If not, provide information about the parent who has greater income and assets, and if the parent has remarried, give information about the stepparent as well. 

Sometimes, special circumstances not reflected on your FAFSA can affect your ability to pay for your education. In these situations, federal regulations allow financial aid administrators to use professional judgment on a case-by-case basis, with documentation, to adjust the data elements on your FAFSA that may impact your Student Aid Index (SAI). If you believe you have a qualifying special circumstance, please contact the One Stop Office after completing your FAFSA. Visit ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø’s Professional Judgment Request page for more information.

The Student Aid Index, or SAI, is an index number calculated from information reported on the FAFSA. It is not the amount of aid you will receive, the amount your family must pay, or your financial aid offer. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø uses the SAI, cost of attendance, enrollment information, and applicable program requirements to determine financial aid eligibility and prepare your financial aid offer.

A parent’s refusal to provide FAFSA information does not automatically make a student independent. A dependent student whose parents refuse to complete the FAFSA or provide financial support may be considered for a dependent-level Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan only. A student approved under this provision will not be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, a Direct Subsidized Loan, or most other forms of federal student aid. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø must review documentation of the parent’s refusal or termination of support before determining eligibility. Students who cannot contact a parent or for whom contact would be unsafe should instead contact the Office of Financial Aid about an unusual circumstances review.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø can prepare a College Financing Plan after the student has been admitted and ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø has received a valid, processed FAFSA. Early Action applicants who are admitted and submitted the 2026–2027 FAFSA before February 1, 2026, will receive priority financial aid offer consideration.

The university hosts several events for admitted students to meet with a Financial Aid Counselor one-on-one to review their CFP in detail. View these dates on the Admitted Student Days website. 

Students who cannot contact their parents, or for whom contact would present a risk, may be able to request a review of their dependency status based on unusual circumstances. Examples may include parental abandonment or estrangement, abuse or an unsafe family environment, human trafficking, refugee or asylum status, the student is incarcerated, or the student’s parents are incarcerated and contacting them would pose a risk to the student. Submit the FAFSA using the unusual circumstances option and contact ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø’s Office of Financial Aid for information about the documentation and review process.