What if I can't provide the noncustodial parent information for the financial aid application?

Columbia's policy views financial aid as a partnership between the student, the biological or adoptive parents, and the school. We require that the noncustodial parent complete their portion of the CSS Profile (Noncustodial Parent Profile), and submit tax documentation in order to complete the financial aid file for review. However, we do recognize that in some cases, the completion of the noncustodial parent requirements may prove challenging or impossible.

If you have no contact with your noncustodial parent, or feel it would be extremely difficult to obtain financial information due to extenuating circumstances, you may qualify to have your noncustodial parent requirements waived.

Please review the steps listed in Columbia's Noncustodial Parent Waiver Petition Instructions form. If you would like to petition to have your noncustodial parent requirements waived, complete the steps outlined in sections 2 – 4 of the instruction form.

Upload your petition to the College Board IDOC Institutional Document Service used for your other aid application documents. We will contact you if anything else is needed upon review.