Filling Out the FAFSA: I Live With Legal Guardians or Foster Parents

The FAFSA does not consider foster parents or legal guardians to be your parents on the form.
Anna Helhoski
By Anna Helhoski 
Updated

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

🤓Nerdy Tip

When can I update my FAFSA application? The redesigned FAFSA for the 2024-25 academic year is available at FAFSA.gov. Due to major processing delays, you won't be able to make changes to your submitted FAFSA until the first half of April, at the soonest.

You can still submit the 2023-24 FAFSA until June 30, 2024.

Dive deeper into FAFSA

Neither legal guardians nor foster parents are considered parents on the FAFSA, so you do not have to list their income and household size information on the form.

FAFSA only considers your legal guardian or foster parents as your parents on the form if they have legally adopted you. In that case, you would include their information in the Parent section.

If your parents are deceased, you have been legally emancipated, or you were a ward of the court any time after age 13, the FAFSA acknowledges you as an independent student.

You are likely to be considered an independent student if you live with legal guardians or foster parents.

Any support received from legal guardians or foster parents should be reported on Worksheet B as income for the student.

Steps for filling out the FAFSA if you live with legal guardians or foster parents

  1. In Step 3 (Student), check “yes” for any applicable questions, which are likely to be number 49 (At any time since you turned age 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?) and 51 (Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship over you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?)

  2. Skip all of Step 4 (Parent).

  3. Include your personal income and assets on the FAFSA.

  4. Report any financial support received from legal guardians or foster parents on Worksheet B as personal income.

  5. Contact your university’s financial aid office and explain your situation; see if they have university-specific advice or protocols.

Spot your saving opportunities
See your spending breakdown to show your top spending trends and where you can cut back.