The amount of financial aid you receive depends on your financial need—which is based on the cost of going to college and your family’s financial situation.

Here’s how it works:

1. We start with your Cost of Attendance (COA)—this includes things like tuition, books, housing, food, transportation, and other school-related costs.
2. Then we subtract your Student Aid Index (SAI)—a number calculated from the income and household info you provided on your FAFSA or Dream Act Application.

Cost of Attendance – Student Aid Index = Financial Need

The Financial Aid Office uses this number to figure out how much help you may qualify for. Your income (taxable and non-taxable), assets, family size, and the number of family members in college all play a part.

Sometimes, we may ask for extra documents to verify your info. If that happens, you’ll get a message in Self-Service, where you can track what’s needed and upload forms.

If your situation changes—like a loss of income—you might be able to request a review through a Professional Judgment process. Just reach out to the Financial Aid Office for help.