Cost of Attendance

Except for student loan programs, most financial aid is awarded based on financial need. When you apply for federal student aid, your report information is calculated using a Congress-established formula. This formula determines your Student Aid Index (SAI), formerly the  Expected Family Contribution (EFC), an amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education. (This amount may not exactly match what you and your family contribute.) If your EFC is below a certain amount, you may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, assuming you meet all other eligibility requirements.

There is not a maximum EFC that defines eligibility for the other financial aid programs. Instead, your EFC is used in the following equation to determine your financial need:

Cost of Attendance (COA)  - Student Aid Index (SAI) = Financial Need (FN)

We calculate your cost of attendance and subtract the amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward that cost.  If there is anything left over, you are considered to have financial need. A financial aid package that comes as close as possible to meeting your financial need is put together for you.  However, because funding is limited, the amount awarded to you may fall short of the amount you are eligible for.  When determining your need for aid, we must also consider other educational resources you are expected to receive during the school year.

Enrollment Fees

College Budgets and Other Expenses