Student Aid Index (SAI) Estimator

A simplified version of the federal formula — for planning, not official use

Parent adjusted gross income (AGI)

From last year's tax return

Parent savings & investments (not retirement)

529 plans, brokerage, savings — not home equity or retirement accounts

Household size

Number in college at once

Student's own income (if any)

Student's own savings

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Estimated Student Aid Index (2026–27)

Now see your real net price at a specific school type →

What is the Student Aid Index?

Starting with the 2024–25 FAFSA, the federal government replaced "Expected Family Contribution" (EFC) with the "Student Aid Index" (SAI). The name changed and the formula was simplified, but the purpose is the same: it's the number colleges use, alongside their own cost of attendance, to figure out how much need-based aid you qualify for. A lower SAI generally means more aid eligibility. Unlike the old EFC, SAI can go as low as -1500, signaling especially high financial need.

SAI is not a bill

This is the single most misunderstood part of financial aid. Your SAI is not what you will actually pay — it's an index number schools use in their aid formula. Your actual out-of-pocket cost (your "net price") depends on the specific school's cost of attendance and how generously that school meets financial need. That's why the same family can get very different aid packages at two schools with the same sticker price — one school might fully fund the gap between SAI and cost of attendance, another might not.

The new Pell eligibility cutoff

For 2026–27, there's a hard rule worth knowing: if your SAI is at or above roughly $14,790 (twice the maximum Pell Grant of $7,395), you are not eligible for any Pell Grant at all, regardless of other circumstances. Below that threshold, Pell eligibility phases in based on the specific SAI-to-poverty-line relationship in the federal formula.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as an EFC calculator?

Functionally, yes — SAI replaced EFC starting with the 2024–25 FAFSA, and most people still search for "EFC calculator" out of habit. The underlying idea (a number reflecting your family's capacity to pay) is the same, though the formula changed and SAI can go negative, which EFC could not.

How accurate is this estimate?

This is a simplified planning estimate, not the official federal formula, which includes additional factors like state and local taxes, employment allowances, and asset protection amounts that vary by household. Use this to get a ballpark before you file the real FAFSA at studentaid.gov.

Does a low SAI guarantee a low net price?

No. It guarantees higher aid eligibility, not that a specific school will fully meet your need. Some schools "meet full demonstrated need," most don't — check each school's published aid statistics, or use the net price calculator to estimate your actual out-of-pocket cost.