ISEE University for Unmarried Parents: How to Calculate It?
Comprehensive guide to calculating the University ISEE for non-cohabiting single parents: find out when the other parent's income is combined and what the legal exceptions are.
The Short Answer
When calculating the University ISEE for non-cohabiting parents, the general rule is that the non-cohabiting parent is included in the student's family unit, unless they are legally separated or divorced. Essentially, if you are a single parent but not legally separated e.g., you were in a de facto relationship, the other parent's income must be included in the University ISEE as an 'additional component,' affecting your child's university fees.
When is the Non-Cohabiting Parent Counted?
When requesting the ISEE certificate for access to university student support services, the situation of the parent not living with the student must be carefully analyzed. There are three main scenarios: 1. Legally separated or divorced parent: If there is a separation or divorce decree, the non-cohabiting parent is not part of the family unit, and their income does not affect the University ISEE. 2. Non-cohabiting and not legally separated parent: In this case, the parent is considered an 'included component' or an 'additional component' must be indicated. Their income and assets will be added to those of the unit where the student resides. 3. Presence of maintenance payments: If the non-cohabiting parent makes maintenance payments ordered by the judicial authority, even without being married, their situation changes. To learn more about the differences between various types of ISEE, consult our guide to ISEE for single parents/guide/isee-genitori-single-differenze.
Exceptions: When a Parent is Excluded
The non-cohabiting parent is never counted in the University ISEE if one of the following certified conditions applies: They are legally separated or divorced. They are married to someone other than the student's parent. They have children with someone other than the student's parent. They have been deprived of parental authority over the children, or a measure of removal has been issued. It has been ascertained by the competent authorities that they are extraneous in terms of affective and economic relationships. In these cases, the student can submit an ISEE based only on the income of the parent they live with or their own, if they are independent. Consult our glossary on family units for ISEE purposes/glossario/nucleo-familiare-ai-fini-isee for more details.
How to Proceed Operationally
To obtain the University ISEE also known as ISEE-U, you must complete the DSU Dichiarazione Sostitutiva Unica - Single Substitute Declaration form. Here are the essential steps: 1. Access the INPS portal you can also use the pre-filled ISEE. 2. Select the specific section for university benefits. 3. Enter the non-cohabiting parent's tax code when requested by the system if they do not fall under the exceptions listed above. 4. Check if the student can be defined as "independent." To be considered independent, they must have resided outside their parents' home for at least two years and have adequate income a threshold set annually, around €9,000. If you have any doubts about filling out the form, read our FAQ on filling out the DSU for single parents/faq/compilazione-dsu-genitori-single.