FAFSA SAI score of $5108 - what does this actually mean for financial aid?

thats not bad actually. SAI is student aid index which replaced the old EFC thing. lower is better but 5108 isnt terrible

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is the new version of what used to be called Expected Family Contribution (EFC). It's essentially a measure of your financial strength according to FAFSA calculations. A $5108 SAI means the government believes your family could contribute approximately that amount toward your education costs for the year. It's not necessarily what you'll pay out of pocket - your actual costs will depend on your school's Cost of Attendance minus all aid you receive. As for why it increased from $3000, there could be several reasons: - Change in your family's income from the tax year used - Fewer family members in college simultaneously - Changes in assets reported - Methodological changes in the new FAFSA formula Regarding Pell Grant eligibility, for 2025-2026, the maximum SAI for Pell eligibility is $6656, so you should still qualify for some Pell Grant funding. With your SAI, you might receive around $3000-$4000 in Pell, but this varies.

My SAI is $12,000 so consider yourself lucky!! I'm barely getting any aid at all even though my parents aren't helping me pay for college. The whole system is ridiculous.

When did you submit your FAFSA? I've been waiting for over a month and still nothing...

If you need to check on your application status or have questions about your SAI calculation, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to a FAFSA agent quickly. I was on hold for 2+ hours trying to reach someone about my verification issue, then tried Claimyr and got through in minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Their website is claimyr.com - definitely worth it when you're facing deadlines and need answers fast about your aid package.

SAI is not the amount you'll pay. It's just one factor schools use to determine your aid package. Here's what you need to know: 1) Your college will use your SAI to build your financial aid package 2) A $5108 SAI should qualify you for a partial Pell Grant 3) Your school will likely offer a mix of grants, work-study, and loans The increase from $3000 to $5108 could be from income changes, fewer siblings in college, or the new FAFSA formula which calculates things differently. Contact your financial aid office directly - they can give you the most accurate information about what your actual package will look like. They might also have institutional grants that aren't affected by your SAI.

last year I got $5500 in pell with a similar SAI as yours so you should be ok

The entire FAFSA system is BROKEN!!! I make $45k a year supporting 3 kids as a single mom, and my SAI came back at $8200!! HOW am I supposed to pay that?? And they expect us to figure all this out ourselves with no help and a website that barely works half the time. I've been trying to get someone on the phone for WEEKS to explain why my number is so high. This is why people give up on college!!

Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in this thread: - SAI is not a bill or direct payment amount - Lower SAI = more need-based aid eligibility - Your $5108 SAI puts you in the partial Pell Grant range - For 2025-2026, max Pell is $7590 for $0 SAI, and you need under $6656 SAI to get any Pell - Your financial aid package will include other types of aid beyond just Pell - Colleges have different formulas for allocating their institutional aid Your next step should be watching your school's student portal or email for your official aid offer, which will show the combination of grants, loans, and work-study they're offering based partly on your SAI.

kinda off topic but does anyone know if you can update your fafsa after submitting? i forgot to add my mom's spouse and now im worried my SAI is wrong

Thank you all for your helpful responses! I'm going to call my financial aid office tomorrow morning to discuss my specific situation. It sounds like the SAI is just one factor they use, and my $5108 should still qualify me for some Pell Grant money. Fingers crossed my total package will be enough to cover most of my costs!