Documenting Independent Status
The FAFSA asks a series of questions to determine if a student is dependent or independent. If a student answers “yes” to any of these questions, the FAFSA identifies them as being an independent student. In certain situations, the University of Montana requires the student to provide documentation to verify the answer(s). In some cases, students are unable to provide the required documentation but have other circumstances whereby they may want to request an Appeal for Independent Status. The Financial Aid Office staff can counsel the student regarding what documents and situations might be appropriate for an appeal. If the student answered “yes” on the FAFSA and was granted provisional independent status, documentation will be requested if the student has not provided documentation previously.
Students unable to provide satisfactory documentation to verify independent status and who cannot qualify for provisional independent status will be expected to correct the answers on the FAFSA and add a contributor(s) to the FAFSA. If the contributor(s) fails to provide information, the student will only be able to receive unsubsidized Federal Direct Student Loans at the dependent loan limits.
Notification of Financial Aid Changes
Students will be notified of any changes to their financial aid package via their UM email address. It is essential for students to regularly check their UM email for updates regarding their financial aid status.
Independence Questions Requiring Additional Documentation
Students who are active duty military need to provide a letter from their commanding officer detailing their branch of service and anticipated discharge date.
For federal aid purposes, the definition of a veteran is different than that of the Veteran's Administration. To prove veteran status for aid purposes, a student must submit a copy of the DD-214, member 4, showing at least one day of enlistment, and that they were not dishonorably discharged.
Students who are in the reserves or National Guard are only considered veterans if they were called up for active duty (not for training) as indicated on the DD-214.
If both of the student's parents have passed away since turning the age of 13, copies of their parents' death certificates are required. If both parents have passed away after the age of 13 and the student was subsequently adopted, the student would still answer as an independent student since by the age of 13 they were not adopted.
If a student has become an emancipated minor, they must supply copies of the legal court documents granting student emancipation.
Students who are homeless or at risk of being homeless must provide verification from a professional authority (e.g., a person operating a homeless shelter or a high school guidance counselor). A student who does not have or cannot obtain documentation from any of these authorities should contact the Financial Aid Office to schedule an interview to discuss their situation. Homelessness is defined as someone who does not have a stable living situation. "Couch surfing" is described as an unstable living situation.
Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, if a determination of homelessness status is approved, the independent status for that student will roll forward for subsequent years. Students must still complete their FAFSA annually, and if they receive a rejection notification from the US Department of Education, once the University of Montana Financial Aid Office receives that notification, we can roll forward their eligibility from year to year. The only time that additional documentation may be required is if the student informs us that their circumstances have changed or if we receive conflicting information.
In some cases, students are unable to provide the documentation required to prove their independent status but have unusual circumstances that warrant an Appeal for Independent Status. A student who submits an Appeal for Independent Status must provide other documents to support that appeal for it to be approved. All letters submitted with an appeal must be signed using a wet ink signature or a finger stylus; we cannot accept computer font signatures.