For Students Whose Parents are Divorced or Separated
If both of your biological or adoptive parents are living, and they are divorced, separated, or were never married to each other, and they do not live together, for the purposes of applying for financial aid only one will be considered the parent of record. The parent of record is the parent who provided more than 50% of your support during the 12-month period prior to the date you submit the FAFSA.
Only the parent of record's information (and that of their spouse if they are remarried) needs to be included on the FAFSA. The Profile is requested of both biological parents, if both are living. Please visit the College Board’s website for more information about the Profile application process as it relates to divorced or separated parents.
If the biological parent who is not the part of record will not be able to submit the Profile, please either complete our waiver request form or contact us to discuss your situation. Submit the form electronically, using the DocuSign form at the above link, and within approximately two weeks we'll send you an e-mail about whether or not a waiver can be granted. Based on what you provide on your waiver request, our office may follow up with you directly for more information.
Our philosophy is that, to the extent they are able, both biological parents share a responsibility to help pay for the education of their dependent children. A parent’s unwillingness to contribute is not a reason for us to grant a waiver of the Profile application.
Common Application Errors and How to Avoid Them
We all make mistakes in our lives now and then! Financial aid application mistakes happen, and they can sometimes cause delays in processing your financial aid offer. Take your time filling out applications, work carefully, and review this list of errors to avoid. Bear in mind that most errors mentioned for the FAFSA apply also to the Profile and vice versa.
For both the FAFSA and Profile, be especially sure:
- To double check your Social Security card to ensure that you:
- Type your SSN accurately into your applications and;
- List your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card;
- If a parent helps fill out the applications, make sure they list your SSN, not their SSN or that of one of your siblings!
- That you enter the student and parent birth dates accurately. Don't confuse one for the other!
- The FAFSA and the Profile sometimes ask for the same information. Make sure your answers match between the two forms!
Finally, be sure to read your Student Aid Report (SAR) carefully once you have submitted your FAFSA. Many times, errors you may have made on your FAFSA are listed on the SAR along with instructions for how to correct them.