What does SAI 19725 mean on my FAFSA results - too high for aid?

SAI is Student Aid Index, its what they call EFC now. higher number = less aid

Your SAI (Student Aid Index) of 19725 means the government expects your family can contribute that much per year toward your education. Since your school costs $24,000, you might qualify for about $4,275 in need-based aid. The Pell Grant maximum for 2025-2026 requires an SAI below 6000, so you probably won't get that, but you might qualify for subsidized loans and possibly some state grants depending on where you live. Your school's financial aid office will calculate your exact aid package using this SAI number.

My SAI was 22000 last year and I still got some work study and subsidized loans but no grants. Ur gonna probably get a similar deal. Each school gives different aid packages tho so u might wanna call the financial aid office at State.

Yes, you can definitely appeal your SAI if you have special circumstances. Common reasons include: job loss, medical expenses, caring for elderly relatives, or other financial burdens not reflected in your FAFSA. Contact your school's financial aid office and ask about their "Professional Judgment" or "Special Circumstances" process. You'll need to provide documentation proving these additional expenses. Start this process ASAP as it can take time.

The whole FAFSA system is SO BROKEN!!! My family made $69K last year and our SAI was 22000!!! HOW are middle class families supposed to come up with $22K PER YEAR?! The system is designed to CRUSH us with debt while the ultra-rich pay cash and the very poor get everything free. It's CRIMINAL how they expect families to contribute these insane amounts!!

I've been trying to call Federal Student Aid for 3 weeks to get clarity on why my SAI was calculated so high - I suspect there's an error with how they counted my parents' retirement accounts. Kept getting disconnected after waiting 2+ hours each time. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - it worked! Only had to wait 12 minutes and finally got my questions answered. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent confirmed that retirement accounts shouldn't be counted in the calculation and helped me start the correction process.

To clarify some of the confusion here: retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs should NOT be reported as assets on the FAFSA - they're protected. However, any CONTRIBUTIONS made to these accounts during the tax year ARE counted as untaxed income, which can increase your SAI. This is a common misunderstanding that affects many families. For the original poster: with an SAI of 19725 and a school cost of $24,000, your financial need is $4,275. At minimum, you should qualify for subsidized loans up to $3,500 (for freshmen) and potentially some institutional grants depending on the school. You'll also be eligible for unsubsidized loans regardless of need. If your parents incorrectly reported retirement accounts as assets, you should submit a correction immediately.

When I was applying last year my SAI was 17500 but then my dad lost his job and we had to do a special circumstances appeal thing and it dropped to like 5000 and I got way more aid. So definitely look into that if anything in your family situation changes!

Based on this discussion, it sounds like you should take three actions: 1. Submit a FAFSA correction to remove the retirement accounts as assets (only report contributions made during the tax year as untaxed income) 2. Contact your school's financial aid office to discuss your specific situation and see what institutional aid might be available 3. Ask about their Professional Judgment process if you have special circumstances not reflected on your FAFSA Your SAI of 19725 isn't unusually high for a family income of $72,000, but the retirement account issue could be artificially inflating it. After correction, you might see a meaningful reduction.