• KCC 2026-2027 Dependency Override Appeal

  • OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID
    100 College Drive • Kankakee, IL 60901-8505 • (815) 802-8550 • FAX: (815) 802-8551

  • Dependency status is determined by criteria specified in the law and can be changed by a Financial Aid Administrator only in unusual circumstances. If the student is defined as dependent, but believes unusual circumstances are present to establish them as independent, then the student may request a review of their unusual circumstances by the Financial Aid Office.

  • Student Information

  • Date
     - -
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • A student cannot be determined to be independent due to the following:
    • Parents refuse to contribute to the student's education.
    • Parents will not provide information for the FAFSA or verification.
    • Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
    • Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.
  • Dependency Override appeals will be reviewed no later than 60 days after:
    • The FAFSA has been submitted at studentaid.gov
    • The student is enrolled in credit-level coursework; and
    • All required appeal documentation has been received by the KCC Office of Financial Aid.
  • Note: Incomplete appeals will not be processed.
  • Documentation Submission Instructions:
  • Appeal documentation may be submitted through the student's Financial Aid Self-Service account at my.kcc.edu. Other submission methods include:
    • Fax: 815-802-8551
    • Mail to 100 College Drive, Kankakee, IL 60901; or
    • In person: Office of Financial Aid (L200)
  • Note: Documents submitted via email cannot be accepted due to security concerns.

  • Submit the following

  • 1) Signed Personal Statement:

  • Provide a typed, signed, and dated statement explaining your unusual circumstances. The statement should address:

    1. The nature of your relationship with your parents
    2. The current location of both parents and the date you lost contact with them
    3. Why you are unable to obtain parental information and/or support
    4. How you have been financially supporting yourself

  • 2) A Professional Third-Party Statement

  • Provide a signed statement from a professional third party who can verify the unusual family circumstances described in your appeal. Acceptable third-party references may include:

    • High school counselors
    • Teachers
    • Clergy members
    • Social workers
    • Physicians
    • Child and family services representatives
    • Law enforcement officers

    Note: The third-party reference cannot be a friend or family member.

  • 3) Supporting Documentation

  • Provide supporting documentation verifying the reason for your independent status request. This may include, but is not limited to:

    • Documentation confirming that a parent is deceased, institutionalized, or incarcerated.
    • Documentation confirming that there is a protection/restraining order that prohibits you from having contact with your parent(s) or other legal documentation that would explain why parent information should or could not be obtained to determine financial aid eligibility.
    • A documented interview between the student and the financial aid administrator.
    • Submission of a court order or official federal or state documentation that the student or student's parents or legal guardians are incarcerated.
    • A documented phone call or written statement, which confirms the unusual circumstances with:
      • A state, county or tribal welfare agency.
      • An independent living case worker who supports current and former foster youth with the transition to adulthood; or
      • A public or private agency, facility, or program servicing the victims of abuse, neglect, assault, or violence.
    • A documented phone call or written statement from an attorney, guardian ad litem, a court-appointed special advocate (or similar), or a representative of a TRIO or GEAR UP program which confirms the circumstances and the person's relationship to the student.
    • A documented determination of independence made by a financial aid administrator at another institution in the same or a prior award year.
    • Utility bills or health insurance documentation, that demonstrate a separation from parents or legal guardians.
    • A signed statement from a relative that the student is living with who can verify the student's personal circumstances and relationship with their parent(s).

  • Read, Sign, and Return to the Kankakee Community College Office of Financial Aid
    Certification: All of the above information on this form and attached documentation is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

  • Remember to attach all required documentation.

  • Steps to complete your
    2026-2027 Dependency Override Appeal

    1. Preview: Click "Download PDF for Printing" to review your document.
    2. Verify: Check for accuracy. If needed, go back to the form to make edits.
    3. Download & Print: Click the Download button (Screenshot of download button) in the upper-right corner and then print the file.
    4. Sign: Sign and date all signature lines.
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