OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID
4525 Education Park Drive, Schnecksville, PA 18078
P 610.799.1133 | F 610.799.1798
E finaid@mymail.lccc.edu
2019-20 Dependency Override Policies
The Department of Education determines a student’s status as dependent or independent by the answers the student
provides in Step Three of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal student aid programs are based
on the principle that students (and their parent or spouse) are considered the primary source of support for
postsecondary education. Federal regulations permit Lehigh Carbon Community College to override a student's
dependency status for federal financial aid purposes, if unusual circumstances exist and can be documented. This
determination is made on a case by case basis.
To be considered for a Dependency Override, the student must complete the Dependency Override Form and provide
all documentation required to the Financial Aid Office. A Financial Aid Administrator will review the student’s appeal
by examining the supporting documentation provided by the student and will either approve or deny the student’s
request. The student will be notified in writing of the decision. THE FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATOR’S DECISION IS
FINAL AND CANNOT BE APPEALED TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
USection I: Circumstances Given Consideration
Parental Support was terminated due to:
• A student’s voluntary or involuntary removal from his/her parent’s home due to an extreme situation that
threatened the student’s health and/or safety.
• Incapacity of parent(s) such as incarceration, mental or physical illness or the inability of the applicant to locate
the parent(s).
• Other extenuating circumstances that can be sufficiently documented.
USection II: Review Procedures
• All submitted documentation will be reviewed by a Financial Aid Administrator.
• An official notification of the Administrator’s decision will be sent to the student along with an explanation of
any further action necessary to complete his/her application for aid.
• If the student has filed a FAFSA for the year under review, the Financial Aid Administrator will make any
necessary corrections to the FAFSA.
• If the student has not yet filed a FAFSA for the year under review, they will need to complete the 2019-2020
FAFSA on the Web and indicate they are unable to provide parent information.
USection III: Renewal of a Dependency Override for Future Years
Students who were granted a dependency override in the previous academic year must renew their appeal each
subsequent year. They must complete the following:
• A statement verifying that the documented unusual family circumstance continues to exist for each subsequent
year the student applies to receive financial aid at Lehigh Carbon Community College.
• The 2019-2020 FAFSA indicating parent information is unable to be provided.
NONE of the conditions listed below, singly or in combination, constitute sufficient justification to approve a
dependency override:
• Parents refusing to contribute to the student's education.
• Parents unwilling to provide information on the application or for verification.
• Parents not claiming the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
• Student demonstrating total self- sufficiency.
• Student is living at home (or with relatives) but paying rent.
• Student has ongoing arguments with parents and due to this, the parents have refused to help student.
• Student has chosen to leave parents and put him/herself through college.
• Student lives with or has a step-parent who refuses to provide support.
OFFICE USE ONLY: DETDEP