What is the SAI?
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is the number used to determine a student’s eligibility for federal student aid. Beginning with the 2024–25 award year, the SAI replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) under the FAFSA Simplification Act. The SAI is not the amount a family is expected to pay; it is an eligibility index used to measure financial need based on the information provided on the FAFSA®.
To determine eligibility for federal programs—such as Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)—the financial aid office subtracts the student’s SAI from the Cost of Attendance (COA). A lower SAI reflects greater need, and the SAI may even be negative (as low as -1500), which increases eligibility for aid.