For Financial Aid purposes, reaching your 18th birthday does not guarantee Independent status. The policy regarding determination of Dependent vs Independent students is determined by the US Department of Education. For further details regarding Dependency issues, please visit:

http://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/learn/fafsa.jsp#dependency

Federal Student Aid may be used for any expenses associated with attendance at USMMA. Examples include transportation costs for periods of leave, personal expenses, Academy-approved health insurance.  Students are advised to use their funds responsibly!

Direct Deposit Refunds are issued 3-4 weeks after your award has been disbursed by the Department of Education. Be sure your information is correct when filing, as errors in information could lead to delays.

Yes. Similar to filing your taxes, you must reapply every year.  The financial aid year runs from July1-June 30. It is strongly encouraged that you file your taxes before submitting a FAFSA.

Direct Federal Loans, both Subsidized and Unsubsidized, have a grace period of six months following graduation. In the event you are disenrolled or take a leave of absence, the same rules will apply. For further information please visit:

https://studentaid.gov

No. You are responsible for repayment of your student loans. You parents are not required to cosign your federal student loans, even if you are under age 18. The 'defense of infancy' does not apply to federal student loans. (The defense of infancy presumes that a minor is not able to enter into contracts, and considers any such contract to be void. There is an explicit exemption to this principle in the Higher Education Act with regard to Federal Student Aid.)

Yes! Many families mistakenly think they don't qualify for financial aid and thus don’t apply. All students are generally eligible for some type of financial assistance, even if they do not qualify for need based grant(Federal Pell Grant). When you file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, you are under no obligation to accept any.

While the Federal Government covers many of the expenses related to attendance at the USMMA, there are certain expenses that are the responsibility of the student. Unlike other Federal Service Academies, Midshipmen enrolled at the USMMA DO NOT receive a monthly salary or stipend (Midshipmen may receive a monthly stipend during their Sea Term).