On Friday, July 19, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued an electronic announcement reminding financial aid administrators of their roles and responsibilities with respect to unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness (UHY). This announcement is an update to guidance that was issued in April 2023.

Key highlights:

1. If a student indicates that they have an unaccompanied homeless youth determination from one of the authorized entities in the law (see below), schools are not required to request documentation from the student. If a school chooses to request documentation, it must accept documentation from one of the authorized entities. If the student has received a documented determination from one of these authorities, the institution must not request additional documentation, proof, or statements unless it has conflicting information about the student’s status.
   Especially given the many delays and glitches in the 2024-2025 FAFSA, SHC urges financial aid administrators to use the flexibility provided by ED, and proceed with UHY financial aid awards without requesting documentation in order to expedite the process. 
2. On the 2024-2025 FAFSA, a student who has indicated that they are an unaccompanied homeless youth, but does not have a determination from one of the authorized entities in the law, follows the same FAFSA flow as a “Provisionally Independent” student to allow them to complete a FAFSA form without parent information. However, because an unaccompanied homeless youth determination is not a professional judgment under the unusual circumstances provision, the student will see unique messaging that indicates the need for further action by their college or career school’s financial aid office to determine their eligibility.  In these cases, a financial aid administrator must review the student’s circumstances and make a case-by-case determination of homeless youth status based upon a written statement from or a documented interview with the student that confirms that they are an unaccompanied homeless youth, or unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self-supporting. This determination must be made without regard to the reasons that the student is unaccompanied and/or homeless, or the circumstances that lead to the student’s unaccompanied homeless youth status.
3. The electronic announcement reminds financial aid administrators that unaccompanied homeless youth determinations are separate from professional judgments, and from provisional independence. 
4. In all situations, institutions should be able to show that their policies and procedures for reviewing and making homeless youth determinations are compliant with statutory requirements.

Read the Full Electronic Announcement