That is not possible. Applying as an independent if you do not meet the criteria is very hard. You have to be 24 years of age, going to grad school, have children or dependents that take more than half your income, be married, your parents have to be deceased, you have to be a ward of the state, or in the U.S. Armed Forces.

If you do not meet any of the above criteria than no, you cannot apply as independent.

Once filed you can not change your dependency status on the FAFSA Dependency Status The requirements for a student to be considered independent are rather strict. Only two are reasonably under the student’s control and those are getting married before submitting the FAFSA delaying college until age 24 Either of these will qualify the student as independent for the awarding of federal funds. For the awarding of institutional funds, many schools adopt a stricter stance and require evidence that the student is strictly self-supporting. A student who lives at home with his or her parents (even if he or she pays rent) and doesn’t earn a modest income probably won’t qualify. If a student gets married after filing the FAFSA, it will have no effect on the current year’s need analysis. You can’t change your dependency status mid-year by getting married. A mid-year change in marital status will affect dependency status only in subsequent years. Independent student status does not always lead to an increase in eligibility for financial aid. Although it does mean that the parents’ finances are not considered by the need analysis process, a student who gets married will have to include the financial information for his or her spouse. Many parents mistakenly believe that if a student is not claimed as an exemption on the tax return for two years, the student is independent. This “Bright Line Test” has not been in effect since 1992, when the rules changed. The requirements for independent student status are spelled out on the FAFSA. The financial aid administrator may make exceptions on a case by case basis, but will only do so in extreme circumstances, such as a documented adversarial relationship (e.g., evidence of sexual or physical abuse, such as court protection from abuse orders, social worker reports, etc.), abandonment or inability to locate the parents, and the parents both being incarcerated. Just because the student is self-supporting doesn’t mean he or she will qualify as an independent student.

The above post is correct, unless you are over 24 or married or a couple of other things you will have to put your parents income.

It does not matter where you live, or even if your parents claim you on their tax for forms. Also, there is no place on the fafsa to put expenses, or that they “rent”, so I would wonder what they were smoking. 🙂

Good Luck