My FAFSA SAI is 12059 for 2025-26 - no Pell Grant eligibility. What does this mean for financial aid?

what did u put for ur siblings education? if u said ur sibling graduated that would effect it. Also did ur parents have any big withdrawals from retirement or something? Those count as income even if its one-time.

Your sister graduating is actually a significant factor. When the FAFSA calculation sees only one dependent in college instead of two, your family's EFC (now called SAI) typically increases substantially. This is because the formula assumes your family can now concentrate financial resources on just one student (you) instead of dividing between two. An SAI of 12059 means your family is expected to contribute that amount toward your education for the academic year. While you no longer qualify for Pell Grants (which currently have an eligibility cutoff around 7000 SAI for the 2025-26 year), this DOESN'T mean you'll get no financial aid at all. You should still qualify for: - Federal Direct Loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) - Work-study opportunities at many schools - Institutional grants and scholarships from your university - State grants (depending on your state) I recommend contacting your school's financial aid office directly to discuss your specific aid package. Many schools have institutional funds they can use to help bridge gaps.

my SAI was 13245 last year and i still got decent aid from my school. no pell grant but i got state grant + subsidized loans + some university scholarship. dont panic yet!

You should immediately contact your school's financial aid office to discuss your specific situation. Each institution has different institutional aid policies that might help make up for losing Pell eligibility. Additionally, you should look into: 1. Your state's grant program - many states have need-based grants with higher thresholds than Pell 2. Scholarship opportunities specific to your major 3. Appeal process if your financial situation has changed (like your mom's reduced hours) A 12059 SAI is definitely in the "gap" range where you're expected to contribute a significant amount but may struggle to come up with it all. However, it's not high enough to assume you'll get no help at all. The primary factor in your SAI increase is almost certainly going from two in college to one in college. The FAFSA formula gives substantial "discounts" when multiple children attend college simultaneously.

The system is such BS. how can they punish u for your sister finishing school?? My cousin lost ALL her aid when her brother graduated and had to drop out for a semester. this is why ppl lie on FAFSA.

I was in a similar situation last year trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid to explain my SAI calculation, and it was IMPOSSIBLE to get through on the phone. After trying for weeks, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual human at FSA in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I talked to an agent, they explained exactly how my SAI was calculated and what factors had the biggest impact. In my case, it was my dad's small inheritance that I didn't realize counted as income. Getting clarity directly from FSA helped me plan for my appeal to my school.

also check if ur school has a special circumstances form or something. my friends mom had medical bills that weren't counted in the FAFSA but they got more aid after filling out extra forms at the financial aid office

It's worth noting that an SAI of 12059 puts you in what financial aid professionals call the "gap" zone - too high for Pell Grants but low enough that meeting the full expected contribution may be challenging for many families. Here are some specific action steps you should take: 1. Contact your financial aid office immediately to discuss your complete aid package 2. Ask about filing a Professional Judgment appeal based on your mother's reduced work hours 3. Inquire about institutional grants that might have higher SAI thresholds than Pell 4. Look into private scholarships through sites like Fastweb and Scholarship America 5. Consider whether a modest additional loan through the Parent PLUS program might bridge gaps if necessary Also, make sure to look at your entire cost of attendance and identify areas where you might reduce expenses (housing options, meal plans, textbook alternatives, etc.).

I went through something similar with my daughter last year! Her SAI jumped by almost $5000 when her brother graduated. What helped us tremendously was submitting a formal appeal letter to her university's financial aid department. We explained our actual financial situation (which was actually worse than when both kids were in school due to some medical expenses). The financial aid director was incredibly helpful and found some institutional grants to help offset the loss of the Pell Grant. They couldn't make up the entire difference, but they covered about 60% of the gap with university funds. Don't give up hope! Many schools have discretionary funds specifically for situations like yours.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this stress! I went through something similar when I was a sophomore. Your SAI increase is almost certainly due to your sister graduating and no longer being counted as "in college." The FAFSA formula basically assumes your family can now put all their college money toward just you instead of splitting it between two students. While losing Pell Grant eligibility is definitely frustrating, you still have options! Make sure to apply for your state's grant programs (Illinois has MAP grants that have higher income limits than Pell), and definitely talk to your financial aid office about institutional aid. Many schools have their own grants for students in your exact situation. Also, don't forget about work-study and subsidized loans - those are still available to you. The key is to not panic and explore all your options. You've got this!

Hey Max! I totally get the panic - I went through the exact same thing last year when my older brother graduated. My SAI jumped from about 7800 to 11200 and I lost my Pell Grant too. It felt like the rug was pulled out from under me financially. But here's what I learned: losing Pell doesn't mean losing ALL aid. I still qualified for subsidized federal loans, got a decent state grant (definitely check Illinois MAP grants - they go up to higher income levels than Pell), and my university came through with some institutional grants after I met with financial aid. The key thing that helped me was being proactive. I scheduled a meeting with my financial aid counselor right away, brought documentation of our family's actual financial situation, and asked specifically about professional judgment appeals. They were able to adjust some things and find additional funding sources I didn't even know existed. Also, look into department scholarships! My major had several small scholarships ($500-2000) that barely anyone applied for. Every bit helps when you're trying to close that gap. You mentioned your mom lost hours - definitely bring documentation of that to your financial aid meeting. They might be able to do a professional judgment review based on the change in circumstances. Hang in there - this is definitely manageable even though it's stressful right now!

I'm new here but wanted to chime in since I just went through something similar! My SAI went from around 9000 to 13500 when my twin brother decided to take a gap year, so I totally understand the shock you're feeling right now. One thing that really helped me was creating a spreadsheet of ALL possible funding sources - federal loans, state grants, institutional aid, department scholarships, local community scholarships, work-study, etc. It helped me see the bigger picture beyond just the Pell Grant loss. Also, when you meet with financial aid, ask them to walk you through exactly how your aid package will look for the full year. Sometimes the initial shock of losing Pell feels worse than the actual financial reality once you see what other aid you qualify for. And definitely don't overlook smaller, local scholarships! I found three $1000 scholarships through my hometown community foundation that nobody else had applied for. They're not huge amounts individually, but they add up. You've got a solid plan forming from all the great advice here. The fact that you're being proactive and reaching out shows you're going to figure this out!