Student Dependency Override

Source: https://finaid.princeton.edu/policies-procedures/student-dependency-override Parent: https://finaid.princeton.edu/how-aid-works/family-contribution

Independent Student Criteria

Independent Student Criteria for the 2025-26 Academic Year:

• Student is age 25 or older and has documentation of living as a self-supporting adult for at least 24 consecutive months immediately preceding the start of the term
• Student is under 25 but married and/or has dependent children and has documentation of living as a self-supporting adult while married or with dependent children for at least 24 consecutive months immediately preceding the start of the term
• Student is an orphan or a ward of the court (or was at the time the student turned 18) not later legally adopted and can provide supporting documentation
• Student is in legal guardianship (or was at the time the student turned 18) due to parental death, neglect, abandonment, and/or abuse and can provide supporting documentation
• Student is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces and can provide a DD-214 with an honorable discharge
• Student is a non-US military veteran, regardless of country of service, and meets the following criteria:
• Full-time, continuous, active-duty service of 24 or more total months.
• A documented equivalent of an honorable discharge status from the country of service, which is achieved by completing the contracted obligation with proper military behavior, appropriate personal conduct, and proficient performance of duty.
• Provision of government documentation that the above criteria has been met.

* Students who intended to serve at least 24 months of active duty, but whose service was involuntarily shortened due to medical discharge can petition the student status committee to qualify.

Student Dependency Overrides

A Princeton dependency override grants a student, who does not meet the above criteria and would otherwise be considered dependent, independent student status for Princeton financial aid purposes only.

A dependency override for Princeton’s financial aid is only considered for the following criteria:

• Student’s voluntary or involuntary removal from the parents’ home due to an abusive situation that threatened the student’s safety.
• The student’s abandonment by their parent(s), generally at least a year or more.
• Incarceration or institutionalization of parent(s).

Parental unwillingness to pay for college or complete the aid application will not be considered for a dependency override. To view the full Dependency Override Process and Dependency Override Request Form, login to the My Financial Aid portal, and select View Dependency Override Documents.

Independent Student Criteria for the 2026-27 Academic Year

• Student is age 25 or older and has documentation of living as a self-supporting adult for at least 24 consecutive months immediately preceding the start of the term
• Student is under 25 but is/was married and/or has dependent children and has documentation of living as a self-supporting adult while married or with dependent children for at least 24 consecutive months immediately preceding the start of the term
• Student is an orphan or a ward of the court (or was at the time the student turned 18) not later legally adopted and can provide supporting documentation
• Student is in legal guardianship (or was at the time the student turned 18) due to parental death, neglect, abandonment, and/or abuse and can provide supporting documentation
• Student is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces and can provide a DD-214 with an honorable discharge
• Student is a non-US military veteran, regardless of country of service, and meets the following criteria:
• Full-time, continuous, active-duty service of 24 or more total months.
• A documented equivalent of an honorable discharge status from the country of service, which is achieved by completing the contracted obligation with proper military behavior, appropriate personal conduct, and proficient performance of duty.
• Provision of government documentation that the above criteria has been met.
• * Students who intended to serve at least 24 months of active duty, but whose service was involuntarily shortened due to medical discharge can petition the student status committee to qualify.

2025–26 Student Status Committee meeting dates:

• August 19, 2025
• September 23, 2025
• October 28, 2025
• November 25, 2025
• January 27, 2026
• February 24, 2026
• March 24, 2026
• April 28, 2026