FAFSA EFC/SAI Estimator

Estimate the student aid index from family income, assets and household size.

About FAFSA EFC/SAI Estimator

Income above the protection allowance is assessed at rising rates up to 47 per cent, while assets are assessed far more lightly at around 12 per cent. Dividing by the number in college is why siblings at university simultaneously increases aid. Assets are assessed at a much lower rate than income, which is why the timing of income realisation matters more than asset holdings for aid eligibility.

Formula

FAFSA EFC/SAI

Available income after allowances is assessed on a rising scale, then divided by number in college

SAI: Student aid index, which replaced the expected family contribution
income protection allowance: Living costs excluded from assessment, scaling with household size

Worked example

With the default values below, FAFSA EFC/SAI Estimator returns Estimated Student Aid Index of $14,176.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Parent adjusted gross incomeminimum 0: 85,000
Parent countable assetsminimum 0: 60,000
Student incomeminimum 0: 5,000
Household sizeminimum 1: 4
Number in collegeminimum 1: 1
Cost of attendanceminimum 0: 38,000

Results

Estimated Student Aid Index: $14,176.00
Estimated Need Eligibility: $23,824.00
Income Protection Allowance: $31,500.00
Available Income After Allowances: $34,800.00
Contribution From Assets: $6,000.00

Step by step

1Values used
2FAFSA EFC/SAI
3Estimated Student Aid Index= 14,176.00
4Estimated Need Eligibility= 23,824.00
5Income Protection Allowance= 31,500.00
6Available Income After Allowances= 34,800.00
7Contribution From Assets= 6,000.00

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 6 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This is a rough approximation and not an official FAFSA determination. The actual formula is detailed, changes annually and includes many circumstances not modelled here. Use the official federal student aid estimator and consult your institution's financial aid office.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional financial, tax or legal advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This is a rough approximation and not an official FAFSA determination. The actual formula is detailed, changes annually and includes many circumstances not modelled here. Use the official federal student aid estimator and consult your institution's financial aid office.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is FAFSA EFC/SAI calculated?

Available income after allowances is assessed on a rising scale, then divided by number in college Income above the protection allowance is assessed at rising rates up to 47 per cent, while assets are assessed far more lightly at around 12 per cent. Dividing by the number in college is why siblings at university simultaneously increases aid.

Why does FAFSA EFC/SAI matter?

Assets are assessed at a much lower rate than income, which is why the timing of income realisation matters more than asset holdings for aid eligibility.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 6 inputs: Parent adjusted gross income, Parent countable assets, Student income, Household size, Number in college, Cost of attendance. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.