FAFSA SAI charts for subsidized loans and work-study eligibility?

Congrats on finishing! The cutoffs aren't standardized across all schools. Each college sets their own thresholds for work-study and subsidized loans based on their funding. You need to check with YOUR specific school for their cutoffs.

While there's no universal chart, I can share some general info. Subsidized loans typically go to students with SAI below 12,000-15,000, though this varies. Work-study usually prioritizes SAI under 6,000 first, then expands if funds remain. But your specific school's financial aid office has the exact cutoffs - their website might have this info under "Financial Aid Eligibility" or similar pages if you can't reach them by phone.

my sai was 9300 last year and i got subsidized loans but no work study at State University. but my friend at Tech College got both with 10,500 sai. totally depends on the school

Have you tried the Federal Student Aid Simulator on studentaid.gov? It won't give you exact eligibility but can estimate what types of aid you MIGHT qualify for based on your SAI. I found it helpful when I was in your situation.

I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to the financial aid office when my FAFSA was completed. Absolute nightmare. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with a Federal Student Aid agent who explained my SAI and what it meant for my eligibility. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration and hold music.

Financial aid advisor here - important correction to some comments above. There's no fixed national SAI threshold for subsidized loans or work-study. Each institution receives a federal allocation for work-study and determines how to distribute it. For subsidized loans, your school's cost of attendance, other aid, and your SAI all factor into the calculation. The only aid with standard national SAI cutoffs is the Pell Grant (currently SAI below 7395 for maximum award, with partial awards up to around 9200). Your aid package from your school will tell you exactly what you qualify for. If you're trying to plan ahead, review last year's aid package if you're a returning student, or check the school's net price calculator for an estimate.

I received a subsidized loan with an SAI of 11000, but I have 3 siblings in college which was a big factor. Did you indicate other family members in college on your FAFSA? That can make a huge difference in what you qualify for even with the same SAI.

My son just went through this last year and his financial aid letter showed he qualified for work-study with an SAI around 9500. We were shocked because we didn't think we'd qualify for anything! The whole system is so confusing.

hey also dont forget to check if ur school has a separate application for work study!! mine did and i almost missed the deadline bc i assumed the fafsa was enough

I'm in a similar boat with an SAI of 9200! After reading through all these responses, it sounds like there's hope for both of us. One thing I found helpful was calling my school's financial aid office super early in the morning (like 8 AM right when they open) - got through on the second ring instead of waiting forever. Also, if your school has a financial aid workshop or drop-in hours, that might be faster than phone/email. Good luck with your aid package!

I just went through this exact same situation last month! With an SAI of 8900, you're definitely in a range where you could qualify for subsidized loans and possibly work-study, but as others mentioned, it really depends on your specific school's policies and funding. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all my aid options and deadlines - I included columns for application deadlines, required documents, and contact info for each program. Also, try checking if your school has a student financial services chat feature on their website - mine had one buried in the student portal that was way faster than calling. The waiting is nerve-wracking but hang in there!

Hey Ethan! I'm a newcomer here but wanted to chime in since I just got my aid package back with an SAI of 8200. Good news - I qualified for subsidized loans! My school's threshold seemed to be around 12,000 for subsidized loans based on what my financial aid counselor told me. For work-study, I didn't get it initially but they said I'm on a waitlist since my SAI was a bit higher than their priority range (they prioritize under 6,000 first). One tip that worked for me - I sent a follow-up email to financial aid with "URGENT: Fall 2025 Budget Planning" in the subject line and got a response within 24 hours. Sometimes the subject line makes all the difference! Also, don't forget to look into your state's financial aid programs - many have different eligibility requirements than federal aid and could supplement what you get from your school.

As a newcomer here, I wanted to share something that might help while you're waiting to hear from your school's financial aid office. I just discovered that some schools publish their previous year's aid distribution data in their annual financial reports - it's usually buried pretty deep on their websites, but it can give you a rough idea of what SAI ranges typically received different types of aid. Also, if your school has a financial aid FAQ section, they sometimes list general eligibility ranges there. I know it's frustrating not having concrete numbers, but with an 8900 SAI, you're definitely in a range where aid is possible based on what others have shared. One more tip - if your school has peer financial counselors or student mentors, they might have more current info about aid cutoffs than what's published online. Good luck with your budget planning!

Hey there! New to the community but wanted to jump in since I literally just went through this exact same nightmare with the FAFSA system. With an SAI of 8900, you're actually in a pretty decent position from what I've learned! I ended up finding success by bypassing the phone system entirely - try reaching out to specific financial aid counselors via LinkedIn if your school lists their staff online. Sounds weird but I got a response within hours when emails and calls failed for weeks. Also, many schools have virtual "office hours" now where you can drop in via Zoom - check if yours does this! The uncertainty is awful when you're trying to plan your budget, but based on all the responses here, it seems like there's definitely hope for aid with your SAI range. Hang in there!

Hey Ethan! New member here but I wanted to jump in because I just went through this exact situation a few weeks ago. With an SAI of 8900, you're actually in a really good position based on what I've seen! I had an SAI of 9100 and ended up qualifying for subsidized loans at my school. One thing that really helped me was using my school's online chat feature during off-peak hours (like early morning or late evening) - way faster than calling. Also, try checking if your school posts their "Common Data Set" online - it usually has detailed info about what percentage of students receive different types of aid, which can give you a better sense of your chances. The waiting is stressful when you're trying to budget, but hang in there! From everything I've read in this thread, it sounds like you have a solid shot at getting some good aid with that SAI.

Hey! New member here but wanted to share what just worked for me since I was in a super similar situation last week. I had an SAI of 8750 and was freaking out about not being able to reach financial aid. What finally got me through was emailing my specific academic advisor instead of the general financial aid inbox - they forwarded my question directly to a counselor who called me back the same day! Also, if you're comfortable sharing which school you're attending, some of the more experienced members here might have school-specific insights about their aid thresholds. Your 8900 SAI definitely seems to be in a promising range based on everyone's experiences shared here. One more thing - make sure you've submitted all required documents like tax transcripts if you haven't already, since incomplete files can delay your aid package even after FAFSA is done. Good luck!