Home›US Tools›SAI Calculator

Student Aid Index (SAI) Estimator

Replace the old EFC. Calculate your SAI to see how much federal and institutional financial aid you qualify for under the new FAFSA rules.

The new 2026 FAFSA Formula

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) has been replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI). Estimate your SAI to see how much financial aid you qualify for.

Exclude primary home & retirement accounts.

Your Estimated SAI

9,078

Note: SAI can range from -1500 to 999999. A lower number means higher financial need.

Federal Pell Grant Eligibility

$0/ year

Your SAI is currently too high to qualify for the Federal Pell Grant. You may still qualify for subsidized student loans and institutional aid.

This is a simplified estimation. The official FAFSA formula uses complex tax tables and state-specific deductions. Only the Department of Education can determine your official SAI.

Goodbye EFC, Hello SAI

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) underwent a massive simplification overhaul. The most significant change was retiring the confusing term "Expected Family Contribution" (EFC) and replacing it with the Student Aid Index (SAI).

The old EFC misled families into thinking it was the exact dollar amount they had to pay. The SAI is explicitly an index number used by financial aid offices to rank your financial need relative to other students.

How Financial Need is Calculated

Once your SAI is determined, your university uses a simple formula to calculate your financial need:

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

If a university costs $45,000 per year, and your SAI is 5,000, your Financial Need is $40,000. The university will attempt to fill that $40,000 need through a combination of Pell Grants, Work-Study programs, federal subsidized loans, and institutional scholarships.

Major Changes in the New Formula

  • Negative Scores: The SAI can go as low as -1500 to identify the most severe financial need.
  • Siblings in College: The "number in college" discount has been removed. Families with twins or multiple kids in college at the same time will no longer see their SAI automatically divided by two.
  • Small Business Owners: Small businesses and family farms are no longer exempt from asset reporting. Their net worth must now be reported and will increase your SAI.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good SAI?

A "good" SAI depends on your family's financial reality, but generally, an SAI of 0 or negative (-1500) is the "best" for maximizing financial aid, guaranteeing the maximum Federal Pell Grant. An SAI over 10,000 usually means you will not receive need-based federal grants, but you can still receive unsubsidized loans.

Does the FAFSA look at my retirement accounts?

No. Qualified retirement accounts (like 401ks, IRAs, and 403bs) and the primary home you live in are exempt from the FAFSA asset calculation. You do not need to report them.