CampusPin Glossary
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) / Student Aid Index (SAI)
A federal calculation of how much a family is expected to pay for one year of college. Replaced by the Student Aid Index in the 2024–2025 simplified FAFSA.
EFC and SAI are the headline output of FAFSA. The Expected Family Contribution was the pre-2024 number; the Student Aid Index replaced it in the simplified FAFSA. Both estimate, in dollars, what the federal methodology says a family can afford to contribute toward one year of college. The school's aid office uses Cost of Attendance minus EFC/SAI to determine eligibility for need-based aid.
SAI can be negative under the new rules (down to -$1,500), which signals especially high need and triggers maximum Pell eligibility. EFC could not go below zero.
See also
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — the U.S. government form every undergraduate must file to access federal grants, loans, and work-study.
Pell Grant
The largest need-based federal grant for undergraduates. Awarded based on FAFSA results; does not need to be repaid.
Need-blind admissions
An admissions policy in which the applicant's ability to pay is not considered in the admit/deny decision.
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