Independent students are financially separate from their parents and don’t have to provide parent information on the FAFSA.
Dependent students, for the purposes of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), is someone who is evaluated for financial aid based both on their own income and their parents’—even if that student’s parents will not contribute financially to their college education.
Family household size is defined as the total number of people that is in the household and that you or your parents will put on your tax form. This will include you plus any additional family members within the household.