Parent Information Questions

University of West Georgia

Parent Information Questions

What makes a student Dependent?

A dependent student is determined by the Federal Processor based on the answers to questions on the FAFSA. Ways to determine if a student is dependent:

Are/will the student be 24 during the current academic year? NO=dependent
As of the date the FAFSA is completed, is the student married? NO=dependent
As of the date the FAFSA is completed, will the student be working on a master’s or doctorate program? NO=dependent
Does the student have children that they provide more than half of the support for during the year? NO=dependent
Does the student have dependents (other than children or spouse) that they provide more than half of the support for during the year? NO=dependent
Are both of the student’s parents deceased, or is the student a ward/dependent of the court? NO=dependent
Is the student currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? NO=dependent
Is the student a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? NO=dependent

If the answer to any one of these questions is YES, the student is Independent. Simply not claiming a student on the parent’s taxes does not make them independent for Financial Aid purposes. A student who handles their own finances without the help of parents is not independent for Financial Aid purposes. Only YES to one of the above conditions would make a student independent for Federal Aid purposes.

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What makes a student Independent?

An independent student is determined by the Federal Processor based on the answers to questions on the FAFSA. Ways to determine if a student is independent:

Are/will the student be 24 during the current academic year? YES=independent
As of the date the FAFSA is completed, is the student married? YES=independent
As of the date the FAFSA is completed, will the student be working on a master’s or doctorate program? YES=independent
Does the student have children that they provide more than half of the support during the year? YES=independent
Does the student have dependents (other than children or spouse) that they provide more than half of the support for during the year? YES=independent
Are both of the student’s parents deceased, or is the student a ward/dependent of the court? YES=independent
Is the student currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? YES=independent
Is the student a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? YES=independent

If the answer to any one of these questions is YES, the student would be considered Independent by the Federal Processor. The student does not need to answer YES to all of these to be independent. One YES will make a student independent for Financial Aid purposes. A student may need to provide proof of independent status to Financial Aid. An example would be providing a DD214, dependent’s birth certificate, or marriage certificate to the Financial Aid office for status verification.

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How often do we complete the FAFSA?

The new FAFSA application is released each January for the following Fall term. A student must complete the FAFSA for each academic year in order to receive the Federal Pell grant, student loans, Federal Work-Study, or other Title IV student aid.

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How do I talk to my student about money?

Take advantage of the UWG Peer Financial Counseling Program.

If you are having trouble talking to your student about finances, budgeting, credit cards, or debt, allow the UWG Peer Financial Counseling students talk to your student on a confidential and individual basis! The in-office contact for PFC is Jennifer Maxwell, and she can be reached at 678-839-6421.

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What is a Parent PLUS loan?

The William D. Ford Direct PLUS loan program is available to parents of dependent undergraduate students regardless of need. Funds are available through the federal governments based on the parent’s credit history.

The interest rate is fixed based on the 52 week T-Bill plus 3.1%. Interest begins to accrue on the day that the final payment is disbursed to the student, and repayment begins within sixty days with a minimum monthly payment of $50. Origination fees are 4%. The maximum loan amount per year is the cost of attendance minus scholarships or other financial aid.

Funds are disbursed by the school in semester payments. Any balance will be given to the student via a refund unless the parent requests the funds be sent to the parent.

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What is a college budget?

Answer to come soon.

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What is an EFC or an Expected Family Contribution?

The U.S. Department of Education uses the information you and your student provide on the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) formula established by law to calculate your EFC.

The EFC forumla considers the reported family income and assets and makes adjustments based on the number of household members and the number of those members other than parents who are in college. The Federal Central Processing System (CPS) electronically provides your student's processed FAFSA data and EFC to the Department of Financial Aid. Please note that your student's EFC does not represent an amount of money owed to the University.

Your student's Established Financial Need (EFN) is the difference between your student's Cost of Attendance (COA) at the University of West Georgia and your student's EFC. Your student's EFC is a primary determinate of your student's potential eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant.

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