FAFSA SAI of 7500 but denied all aid at out-of-state CUNY - what's happening?

CUNY schools are notorious for this. Non-residents get almost no financial aid because the schools are designed to serve NY residents. Your daughter's SAI is what the federal govt thinks you can pay, but CUNY controls their own aid packages and prioritizes NY students first. Almost all their institutional aid and even some of the federal/state aid requires NY residency. It's not fair but that's how the CUNY system works.

This is unfortunately very common with out-of-state students at public universities. Your SAI of 7500 is what the federal government calculates you can afford, but each school has discretion in how they create their financial aid packages. Here's what's likely happening: 1. CUNY schools receive NY state funding to subsidize in-state students 2. Out-of-state students don't qualify for NY state grants like TAP 3. Federal aid (Pell Grants, etc.) might be available based on your SAI, but it's not enough to cover the gap 4. CUNY schools have limited institutional aid, which they prioritize for NY residents You should definitely call the financial aid office directly to get a breakdown of why you didn't receive aid despite your SAI. Ask specifically about federal aid eligibility since that shouldn't depend on residency.

My kid had the exact same situation at a different state school!!!! They do this to out of state students to make $$$$. The CUNY system gets money from NY state so they take care of their own students first. Your daughter is basically paying full price to subsidize the NY students. It's how the whole system works and it SUCKS.

I had a really similar experience when my son applied to an out-of-state public university. We had an SAI of around 9000 but got almost no aid. After weeks of frustration trying to reach someone in financial aid, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me finally get through to a financial aid officer. They have this system that holds your place in line when calling FAFSA and even schools - saved me hours of hold time. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. When I finally got through, I learned that we were eligible for some federal aid that wasn't initially included in our package. Worth checking if there might be federal aid you qualify for that wasn't applied.

Financial aid counselor here. There's actually a lot of confusion around SAI and how schools use it. Your SAI of 7500 is indeed what the federal formula calculated your family can contribute, but schools are not required to meet your full financial need. Here's what you need to know about CUNY specifically: 1. As a public institution, CUNY receives state appropriations that subsidize tuition for NY residents 2. Out-of-state students at CUNY pay significantly higher tuition (often 2-3x more) 3. Most need-based institutional grants at CUNY require NY state residency 4. Federal aid like Pell Grants should still be available based on your SAI, but has annual limits (max $7,395 for 2025-26) You should absolutely appeal this decision. Ask for a breakdown of your aid determination and specifically what federal aid you were considered for. Also ask about non-resident scholarships or merit aid that might be available. The aid package is not necessarily final.

Yes, absolutely mention your SAI in the appeal letter. Comparing with Florida schools might not help much since CUNY will be aware they have different funding structures. Instead, focus on: 1. Any change in financial circumstances since you filed FAFSA 2. Unusual expenses not captured in the FAFSA (medical bills, caring for relatives, etc.) 3. Specifically request a breakdown of federal aid eligibility 4. Ask about merit scholarships that aren't residency-restricted Also make sure your daughter completed any separate CUNY scholarship applications - sometimes these are different from the general financial aid application.

wait im confused i thought SAI was the new name for EFC? isnt that what ur supposed to pay regardless of what school??

Update: I spoke with the financial aid office after several attempts. They confirmed we don't qualify for NY state aid (obviously), but said we SHOULD have received some federal aid based on our SAI. Turns out there was a verification flag on our FAFSA that we never received notification about! They're sending the verification forms now, and once we complete those, we might qualify for some Pell Grant money and federal loans. Not enough to make a huge dent in 30k, but better than nothing. So if anyone else has this issue - check if your FAFSA needs verification!

my daughter goes to SUNY (also NY state schools) and we live in Ohio and had similar issues. look into reciprocity agreements - some states have deals with other states for reduced tuition. also ask about the presidential scholarship, some CUNY schools give those to out of state students with high GPAs to offset the higher tuition. might be too late for this year but worth asking!!

One more suggestion: have your daughter look into establishing NY residency after her first year. Each CUNY school has specific requirements, but typically it involves: 1. Living in NY for 12+ months (not in campus housing) 2. Getting NY driver's license/state ID 3. Filing NY state taxes 4. Registering to vote in NY 5. Showing financial independence from out-of-state parents The last requirement is often the hardest for students, but if she can demonstrate that she provides more than 50% of her own support, she might qualify for in-state tuition in her sophomore or junior year, which would dramatically reduce costs.

This is such a frustrating situation but unfortunately very common with out-of-state students at public universities. I went through something similar when my son applied to several state schools outside our home state. Here's what I learned: The SAI (Student Aid Index) is just the starting point for federal aid calculations - it doesn't guarantee that schools will meet your full need. Public universities like CUNY are primarily funded by their state taxpayers, so they prioritize in-state students for both tuition rates and financial aid. A few things to consider: 1. Make sure you're still eligible for federal Pell Grants based on your SAI - these should be available regardless of residency 2. Look into private scholarships that don't have residency restrictions 3. Consider whether the specific program at this CUNY school is worth the premium over comparable Florida options 4. If your daughter is set on this school, explore work-study opportunities and see if she can establish NY residency after her first year It's a tough financial reality, but you're not alone in dealing with this. The system really does favor in-state students at public universities.