Is the non-custodial parent required to help pay for college?
The Federal government does not consider the income and assets of the non-custodial parent in determining a student's financial need. However, it does consider child support received by the custodial parent.
Many private colleges do consider the non-custodial parent as a potential source of support, and require a supplemental financial aid form from the non-custodial parent. This affects the awarding of the school's own aid, but not Federal and state aid.
Whether divorced parents have a legal obligation to pay for their children's education depends on the state in which the divorce occurred. Several states have laws or case law that allow courts to order the non-custodial parent to help pay for college. These states include Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and West Virginia. States which prohibit the courts from ordering college support (except for enforcing a previous agreement between the parents) include Alaska, Nebraksa, and New Hampshire. (As of 2/2/2004, New Hampshire judges no longer have the discretion to order college support for adult children.)
And that is correct IF there is a child support order. However, the OP says there is no order. His mother had 18 years to get a child support order established.
In this case, Dad is not responsible for paying for education. Even if he was, that does not mean that the kid could say, "I'm going to Hillsdale. You owe _____". Junior needs to figure something else out. Less expensive school, alternative financing, JOB...many, many people have put themselves through college. If he is smart enough and qulified to be accepted to his school of choice, he is smart enough to realize that if wants it bad enough, he will work for it. "Nothing worth having is ever easy or free".