Youth With Special Family Circumstances

Do You Have a Legal Guardian?

Select “Yes” if you can provide a copy of a court’s decision that you have a legal guardian appointed by a court. The court must be located in your state of legal residence. For purposes of this program, a legal guardian is an adult, other than your biological parent. For further clarification of this requirement, refer to the Department of Education's 2012-2013 Application and Verification Guide, Chapter 2, page AVG-23
If the court order is no longer in effect, answer “No.”
Loyola University New Orleans will require all applicants to provide a copy of the court order to document their status.

Youth in Foster Care

Answer "yes" to question 55 on the FAFSA if, at any time since turning age 13, you were placed in foster care, even if you are no longer in foster care on the day you complete the FAFSA.
Loyola University New Orleans will require that all students who answer "yes', provide supporting documentation that confirms their answer.

According to the Department of Education's 2012-2013 Application and Verification Guide, Chapter 2, page AVG-23 : "A student is a ward of the court if the court IF the court has assumed custody of her. In some states, the court may impose its authority over a juvenile who remains in the legal custody of her parents; such a student is not a ward of the court. Also, incarceration of a student does not qualify her as a ward of the court. In some states the phrase " ward of the state" is used. This is considered the same as a ward of the court for dependency status as long as the the student is a ward of the state not due to incarceration.

Both biological parents must be deceased for a student to file the FAFSA as an orphan.

Resources for Students:

Updated May 21, 2012