How old do you have to be to apply for financial aid independently from your parents?

Ok, so my parents total income per year exceeds $300,000 so I can't get financial aid, but they wont give me any money for college. They think I need to learn to fend for myself. Is there any way I can get financial aid besides scholarships? I know sometimes you can apply for financial aid independently from your parents, but how old do you have to be?How old do you have to be to apply for financial aid independently from your parents?
Specific rules govern whether you are considered independent for the purposes of student financial aid. In these situations, at least one of these conditions must apply:





-You are at least 24 years old by Dec. 31 of the award year;


-You are married as of the date the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is submitted;


-You are or will be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program (beyond a bachelor ’s degree) during the award year;


-You have least one child who receives more than half their support from you;


-You have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half their support from you and will continue to receive more than half their support from you through June 30, 2007;


-You are an orphan or ward of the court (or were a ward of the court until age 18); or


-You are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. (“Veteran” includes students who attended a U.S. service academy and were released under a condition other than dishonorable.)





In special or unusual circumstances, the school's financial aid administrator can change your dependency status on reviewing the documents you provide if they think circumstances warrant it.How old do you have to be to apply for financial aid independently from your parents?
I had to be 27...I dont remember the reason though. Something odd with my fathers taxes...





So I worked and went to school for my 4 year degree, and paid every dime myself - and I had to put off my graduate work for a long time
25
born in 1984 i believe
SallieMae's answer is completely correct, but I'd like to add on an important note about the Financial Aid Office's ability to change a student's dependency status:





The Financial AId Office is given the authority by the US Dept of Education to override a student's dependency status and make them independent if their individual situation merits the regulations for awarding a dependency override. Either one of the two following circumstances must be proven in order for a student who is normally dependent to be changed to independent: abuse or abondonment. That's it. There must either be a documented history of abuse between you and your parents or a documented situation of abandonment, where you literally have no contact with your parent and have no idea where they are.





You cannot be made independent simply by the fact that your parents refuse to assist you with college expenses. If that were true, all any student would have to do is come into the Financial AId Office and say, ';my parent doesn't help me'; without any proof, and EVERYONE would get financial aid. It is unfortunate that your parents feel that way, but it is the federal government's belief that the responsibility for financing a students education lays first and foremost in the hands of the parent. Only if that parent is financially unable to provide that financial responsibility (NOT unwilling) does federal financial aid become awarded.