1Office of Student Financial Aid – Lamar State College Port Arthur
MEMBER THE TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
TM
5
PETITION FOR DEPENDENCY OVERIDE 2019-2020
Student’s Name __________________________________________ Student ID _________________________
1516_DEPOV_APPEAL FORMS
The basic premise underlying student financial aid is that it is primarily the responsibility of the student and his or her family to pay
educational costs. When family resources are insufficient, financial aid may be awarded to supplement the resources of the student’s
family to help pay educational expenses. The US Congress and Department of Education determine the criteria for whether a student
is considered dependent or independent of their parents for financial aid purposes. Generally, how an applicant responds to “Step
Three” on the FAFSA determines their dependency status.
The questions in “Step Three” are:
• Were you born before January 1, 1996
• Will you be working on a degree beyond a bachelor’s degree in school year 2019-2020?
• As of today, are you married? (Answer yes if you are separated, but not divorced.)
• Does someone other than your parents have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state?
• Are you an orphan or ward of the court or were you a ward of the court until age 18?
• Are you a veteran?
• Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
• Do you have dependents (other than children or a spouse) who live with you and receive more than half of their support from
you, now and through June 30, 2020?
If you do not meet one of the above conditions, but still feel there are extenuating circumstances which might warrant you’re being
considered independent of your parents, you may explain those circumstances in a petition to the Financial Aid Appeals Team. By
petitioning, you are asking us to relieve your parents of the responsibility for using their resources to pay part of your college costs.
Only very extenuating circumstances will make it reasonable to approve such a petition. Having sufficient resources to pay your
own expenses is NOT considered an extenuating circumstance for determining dependency status.
NOTE: Submission of the FAFSA to the US Department of Education is partly for the purpose of determining what level of
contribution should be expected from the family. For low-income families, this contribution is often zero or minimal, and a change in
dependency status may have little influence on the student’s eligibility for financial aid.
Certifications and Signatures
ATTACH REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION TO COMPLETED FORM,
AND RETURN TO THE OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
For office use only: Approved Rejected
Financial Aid Officer: Date:
The decision of the Financial Aid Office at Lamar State College Port Arthur is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of
Education.
I hereby certify that all information contained in this appeal, including the personal statement and documentation, is true and complete to the
best of my knowledge.
I understand that it is my responsibility to pay all outstanding balances on my account while waiting for an appeal
decision. Regardless of the appeal decision, I am responsible for any late fees incurred. My appeal will not be reviewed
until all documentation has been received. I will receive an email notifying me once it has been reviewed.
_________________________________________ ______________________________________
Student’s Signature Date
Warning: If you purposely give false or misleading information on this worksheet, you may be fined, be sentenced to jail , or both.
