Estimate your potential federal student aid eligibility for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Understanding Your FAFSA Aid Estimate
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the gateway to federal financial aid for higher education in the United States. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the FAFSA determines your eligibility for Pell Grants, federal student loans, work-study programs, and more. The core of this determination relies on your Student Aid Index (SAI), which has replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from previous years.
How the SAI (Student Aid Index) is Calculated (Simplified)
The SAI calculation is complex and considers many factors. This calculator provides a simplified estimate based on key inputs. The general principle is to determine how much of your family's income and assets are available to pay for college.
Income Contribution: A portion of your income (student and parents) is considered available for college costs. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA Simplification Act, this calculation is generally based on your prior-prior year income (i.e., 2023 income for the 2025-2026 aid year). A portion is protected as a living allowance.
Asset Protection: A portion of your and your parents' assets is also protected, with the remainder contributing to your SAI.
Household Size and Number in College: A larger household size and more family members attending college can reduce the SAI, as it implies greater demands on family resources.
Inflation Adjustments and Allowances: The SAI formula includes adjustments for inflation and standard living expenses.
The Role of SAI in Aid Determination
Your SAI is not the amount you will receive or pay. Instead, it's used in the following formula to determine your eligibility for federal aid, particularly need-based aid like Pell Grants:
Cost of Attendance (COA) – SAI = Your Estimated Need
If your Estimated Need is positive, you may be eligible for need-based grants. Pell Grant eligibility is further determined by a maximum award amount and your SAI. For example, students with an SAI of 0 may receive the maximum Pell Grant, while those with higher SAIs may receive reduced amounts or no Pell Grant at all. Other aid like federal loans might be available regardless of need.
Using This Calculator
This calculator uses a simplified model. Enter your most accurate financial information for the 2023 tax year (as that's the "prior-prior year" for the 2025-2026 FAFSA). The results are estimates and should not be considered final or guaranteed. The official FAFSA application will provide the definitive calculation of your SAI and aid eligibility.
Disclaimer: This calculator is an informational tool only and does not provide financial advice. Consult with a financial aid advisor or the official FAFSA resources for precise information.
function calculateAid() {
var annualIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualIncome").value);
var householdSize = parseInt(document.getElementById("householdSize").value);
var collegeCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("collegeCost").value);
var parentContribution = parseFloat(document.getElementById("parentContribution").value);
var studentAssets = parseFloat(document.getElementById("studentAssets").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
// Basic validation
if (isNaN(annualIncome) || isNaN(householdSize) || isNaN(collegeCost) || isNaN(parentContribution) || isNaN(studentAssets) ||
annualIncome < 0 || householdSize <= 0 || collegeCost <= 0 || parentContribution < 0 || studentAssets = 5) {
incomeProtectionAllowanceRate = 0.25;
} else if (householdSize === 1) {
incomeProtectionAllowanceRate = 0.40;
}
var incomeProtectionAllowance = annualIncome * incomeProtectionAllowanceRate;
// Ensure allowance doesn't exceed a reasonable cap relative to household size
var maxAllowancePerPerson = 4000; // Example cap
var maxAllowance = maxAllowancePerPerson * householdSize;
if (incomeProtectionAllowance > maxAllowance) {
incomeProtectionAllowance = maxAllowance;
}
var availableIncome = annualIncome – incomeProtectionAllowance;
if (availableIncome 0 ? parentContribution * 0.5 : 0; // Simplification: assumes parentContribution is related to parents' assets
var availableStudentAssets = studentAssets * studentAssetRate;
// Crude approximation of SAI
var estimatedSAI = (availableIncome * 0.4) + // Income contribution percentage
(parentsAvailableAssets * assetProtectionAllowanceRate) +
availableStudentAssets;
// Adjust for number of family members in college (very simplified)
var numInCollege = 1; // Assume 1 unless specified, FAFSA has specific questions for this.
if (numInCollege > 1) {
estimatedSAI = estimatedSAI / numInCollege;
}
// Ensure SAI is not negative
if (estimatedSAI < 0) {
estimatedSAI = 0;
}
// Estimated Need Calculation
var estimatedNeed = collegeCost – estimatedSAI;
if (estimatedNeed < 0) {
estimatedNeed = 0; // Cannot have negative need
}
// Determine Pell Grant Eligibility (Simplified)
var maxPellGrant = 7395; // 2024-2025 award year maximum – adjust for 2025-2026 when known
var pellGrantEstimate = 0;
if (estimatedSAI maxPellGrant) pellGrantEstimate = maxPellGrant; // Cap at max
}
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Estimated SAI: " + Math.round(estimatedSAI) + "" +
"Estimated Need: $" + Math.round(estimatedNeed) + "" +
"Estimated Max Pell Grant: $" + Math.round(pellGrantEstimate) + "";
}
function resetFields() {
document.getElementById("annualIncome").value = "";
document.getElementById("householdSize").value = "";
document.getElementById("collegeCost").value = "";
document.getElementById("parentContribution").value = "";
document.getElementById("studentAssets").value = "";
document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = "";
}