Fafsa Eligibility Calculator

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FAFSA Eligibility Estimator

Use this calculator to get an estimated idea of your potential Student Aid Index (SAI) and financial need for federal student aid. This is an estimate only; you must complete the official FAFSA for an accurate determination.

Student Information


Single Married
No Yes


Parent Information (if dependent)

If the student is determined to be independent, parent information will not be used.



Household & College Information




function calculateFAFSAEligibility() { // Get input values var studentAge = parseFloat(document.getElementById('studentAge').value); var studentMaritalStatus = document.getElementById('studentMaritalStatus').value; var hasDependents = document.getElementById('hasDependents').value; var studentIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById('studentIncome').value); var studentAssets = parseFloat(document.getElementById('studentAssets').value); var parentIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById('parentIncome').value); var parentAssets = parseFloat(document.getElementById('parentAssets').value); var householdSize = parseFloat(document.getElementById('householdSize').value); var collegeStudents = parseFloat(document.getElementById('collegeStudents').value); var costOfAttendance = parseFloat(document.getElementById('costOfAttendance').value); // Validate inputs if (isNaN(studentAge) || isNaN(studentIncome) || isNaN(studentAssets) || isNaN(parentIncome) || isNaN(parentAssets) || isNaN(householdSize) || isNaN(collegeStudents) || isNaN(costOfAttendance) || studentAge < 1 || studentIncome < 0 || studentAssets < 0 || parentIncome < 0 || parentAssets < 0 || householdSize < 1 || collegeStudents householdSize || costOfAttendance = 24 || studentMaritalStatus === 'married' || hasDependents === 'yes') { isIndependent = true; } var studentContribution = 0; var parentContribution = 0; // — Student Contribution Calculation (Simplified) — // Income contribution var studentIncomeProtection = 7600; // Example protection allowance for 2024-25 var studentAvailableIncome = Math.max(0, studentIncome – studentIncomeProtection); studentContribution += studentAvailableIncome * 0.50; // 50% of available income // Asset contribution var studentAssetProtection = 0; // Generally no asset protection for students var studentAvailableAssets = Math.max(0, studentAssets – studentAssetProtection); studentContribution += studentAvailableAssets * 0.20; // 20% of available assets // — Parent Contribution Calculation (Simplified, if dependent) — if (!isIndependent) { // Income contribution var parentIncomeProtection = 22000; // Example protection allowance for 2024-25 (varies by household size) var parentAvailableIncome = Math.max(0, parentIncome – parentIncomeProtection); // Apply a simplified assessment rate, adjusted by number in college var parentIncomeAssessmentRate = 0.30; // Example average rate if (collegeStudents > 1) { parentIncomeAssessmentRate /= collegeStudents; // Divide contribution among students } parentContribution += parentAvailableIncome * parentIncomeAssessmentRate; // Asset contribution var parentAssetProtection = 30000; // Example protection allowance for 2024-25 (varies by age of older parent) var parentAvailableAssets = Math.max(0, parentAssets – parentAssetProtection); parentContribution += parentAvailableAssets * 0.0564; // 5.64% of available assets } // — Estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) — var estimatedSAI = studentContribution + parentContribution; estimatedSAI = Math.max(0, Math.round(estimatedSAI)); // SAI cannot be negative // — Financial Need — var financialNeed = Math.max(0, costOfAttendance – estimatedSAI); // — Pell Grant Eligibility (Simplified) — // Pell Grant eligibility is complex and depends on SAI, COA, and enrollment status. // For this estimate, we'll use a very simplified threshold. var pellGrantEligible = false; var maxPellGrantSAI = 7395; // Example max SAI for Pell Grant eligibility for 2024-25 if (estimatedSAI 0) { subsidizedLoanEligible = true; } // Display results var resultsHtml = '

Estimated FAFSA Eligibility Results

'; resultsHtml += 'Student Dependency Status: ' + (isIndependent ? 'Independent' : 'Dependent') + "; resultsHtml += 'Your Estimated Student Aid Index (SAI): $' + estimatedSAI.toLocaleString() + ''; resultsHtml += 'Your Estimated Financial Need: $' + financialNeed.toLocaleString() + ''; resultsHtml += 'Potential Pell Grant Eligibility: ' + (pellGrantEligible ? 'Likely Eligible' : 'Unlikely Eligible (based on SAI)') + ''; resultsHtml += 'Potential Subsidized Loan Eligibility: ' + (subsidizedLoanEligible ? 'Likely Eligible (based on need)' : 'Unlikely Eligible (no demonstrated need)') + ''; resultsHtml += 'This is an estimate only. The official FAFSA calculation is more complex and considers additional factors. You must complete the official FAFSA form to determine your actual eligibility for federal student aid.'; document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = resultsHtml; } .fafsa-calculator-container { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; max-width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; padding: 25px; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; background-color: #f9f9f9; box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); } .fafsa-calculator-container h2, .fafsa-calculator-container h3 { color: #2c3e50; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 15px; } .fafsa-calculator-container p { line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; } .calculator-inputs label { display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; font-weight: bold; color: #34495e; } .calculator-inputs input[type="number"], .calculator-inputs select { width: calc(100% – 22px); padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; } .calculator-inputs input[type="number"]:focus, .calculator-inputs select:focus { border-color: #3498db; outline: none; box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(52, 152, 219, 0.5); } .calculator-inputs button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 12px 20px; background-color: #28a745; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 18px; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; margin-top: 20px; } .calculator-inputs button:hover { background-color: #218838; } .calculator-results { margin-top: 25px; padding: 20px; border: 1px solid #d6e9c6; border-radius: 8px; background-color: #dff0d8; color: #3c763d; font-size: 1.1em; } .calculator-results h3 { color: #28a745; margin-top: 0; text-align: center; } .calculator-results p { margin-bottom: 8px; } .calculator-results strong { color: #2c3e50; } .calculator-results .disclaimer { font-size: 0.9em; color: #666; margin-top: 15px; border-top: 1px dashed #a3d3a3; padding-top: 10px; }

Understanding FAFSA Eligibility and Your Financial Aid Potential

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the gateway to federal student aid, including grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans. Understanding your potential eligibility is the first step in planning for college finances. While our FAFSA Eligibility Estimator provides a helpful approximation, it's crucial to remember that the official FAFSA form is required for an accurate determination of your aid.

What is the Student Aid Index (SAI)?

The Student Aid Index (SAI), formerly known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), is a number calculated by the Department of Education using a formula established by Congress. This number represents an estimate of the student's (and their family's, if dependent) ability to contribute to the cost of their education for an academic year. The SAI is not the amount of money your family will have to pay, nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. Instead, it's an index number that colleges use to determine how much financial aid you are eligible to receive.

Key Factors Influencing Your FAFSA Eligibility

The FAFSA considers several factors to calculate your SAI and determine your eligibility for various aid programs:

  1. Dependency Status: This is a critical factor. If you are considered a "dependent" student, your parents' income and assets will be included in the SAI calculation. If you are an "independent" student, only your own income and assets (and your spouse's, if married) are considered. Factors like age (24 or older), marital status, having dependents, military service, and specific legal statuses can make a student independent.
  2. Student's Income and Assets: Your own income (from wages, investments, etc.) and assets (savings, checking accounts, investments) are assessed. A portion of these is expected to contribute to your education.
  3. Parents' Income and Assets (for dependent students): For dependent students, parents' income (Adjusted Gross Income – AGI) and assets (savings, investments, real estate equity excluding primary residence) are significant components of the SAI calculation.
  4. Household Size: The number of people in your household (including yourself) that your parents support (if dependent) or that you support (if independent with dependents) impacts the calculation. A larger household size generally leads to a lower SAI.
  5. Number of Household Members in College: If there are multiple members of your household attending college at least half-time, the expected contribution may be divided among them, potentially lowering your individual SAI.
  6. Cost of Attendance (COA): This is the total cost of attending a particular college for one academic year, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. Your financial need is determined by subtracting your SAI from the COA (Financial Need = COA – SAI).

Types of Federal Student Aid

Based on your FAFSA results, you may be eligible for:

  • Pell Grants: These are need-based grants that do not have to be repaid. Eligibility is primarily determined by your SAI.
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG): These are also need-based grants, administered directly by colleges, for students with exceptional financial need.
  • Federal Work-Study: This program allows students to earn money to help pay for educational expenses through part-time jobs, often on campus.
  • Direct Subsidized Loans: These are federal loans for undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. The government pays the interest while you're in school and during grace periods.
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans: These are federal loans available to both undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of financial need. You are responsible for all interest accrued.
  • Direct PLUS Loans: These are federal loans for graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students.

Why Complete the Official FAFSA?

Our calculator provides an estimate, but the official FAFSA form is much more detailed and uses precise formulas to determine your eligibility. It's essential to:

  • Access All Aid: Only by completing the FAFSA can you be considered for federal grants, loans, and work-study. Many states and colleges also use FAFSA data to award their own aid.
  • Get an Accurate SAI: The official calculation considers nuances not captured in a simplified estimator.
  • Meet Deadlines: Federal, state, and college aid often have strict deadlines. Filing early is always recommended.

Example Scenario:

Let's consider a dependent student, Sarah, who is 19 years old and single. She has an annual income of $5,000 from a part-time job and $1,000 in savings. Her parents have an annual income of $60,000 and $15,000 in assets. There are 4 people in her household, with 1 (Sarah) attending college. The estimated Cost of Attendance for her chosen university is $25,000.

Using a simplified calculation similar to our estimator:

  • Student Contribution: A portion of her $5,000 income and $1,000 assets would be assessed.
  • Parent Contribution: A portion of her parents' $60,000 income and $15,000 assets would be assessed, adjusted for their household size.
  • Estimated SAI: Let's say the combined estimated SAI comes out to approximately $8,000.
  • Financial Need: $25,000 (COA) – $8,000 (SAI) = $17,000.

Based on this, Sarah would likely have significant financial need and could be eligible for federal grants (if her SAI is low enough for Pell) and subsidized federal loans. This example highlights how income, assets, and household factors combine to determine aid eligibility.

Don't miss out on potential financial aid. Use this estimator as a guide, but always complete the official FAFSA form at studentaid.gov.

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