How do I read my EFC number?

This number is, in fact, a dollar figure: for example, if your estimated Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is 000040, this means your family is expected to pay $40 for the coming year for all the expenses associated with your college education.

What does the 6 digit EFC number mean?

EFC or Expected Family Contribution is the amount of money that a college estimates that your family can afford. This is calculated as part of your financial aid application process through the FAFSA, CSS Profile, or other financial aid forms.

What does EFC 00400 mean?

Your FAFSA EFC number is equal to a dollar amount. For example, 4000 is $4,000. Your EFC isn't the amount of money you will be paying for college. It also isn't the amount of money you will get in financial aid. Rather, it is used in the formula for calculating your financial need.

What is my FAFSA EFC score?

Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is an index number used to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid. This number results from the information you provide in your 2023–24 FAFSA form. Your EFC is reported to you on your Student Aid Report (SAR).

What does an EFC of $20 000 mean?

An Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $20,000 on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) means that the federal government has determined that your family is expected to contribute up to $20,000 towards your college education for the upcoming academic year.

Finding Your Expected Family Contribution Number

What is a good EFC number?

The overall average EFC is about $10,000, with an average of about $6,000 for students at community colleges and $14,000 at 4-year colleges. Slightly more than half of students have an EFC of $2,500 or less.

What does an EFC of $50000 mean?

An Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $50,000 means that the family is expected to contribute $50,000 toward the student's education expenses for the academic year.

Why is my EFC on FAFSA so high?

EFC is based on the parents' and student's income and assets. A high EFC is likely the result of high income or a high value of assets as reported on the FAFSA. Assets considered include bank account balances, capital gains and, sometimes, equity held in businesses and real estate.

How do I lower my EFC?

Lowering your income in the base year can make a big impact on EFC calculations. Adjusted gross income can be assessed up to 47% and assets are assessed at only 5.64%, so lowering a parent's income in the base year can be eight times more effective in lowering a family's EFC as compared to minimizing parental assets.

What does EFC 00000 mean on FAFSA?

This number isn't a mistake. It just means that the government determined you qualify for all types of need-based financial aid. Families with a total income of $27,000 or less will receive an automatic 0 EFC, along with most families that receive federal benefits like food stamps or Medicaid.

What is a bad EFC number?

Once your FAFSA form is received, the schools arrive at a number between 0 and 4617 that will result in a federal student aid grant for the following academic year. Any person with an EFC number at 0 will receive the maximum amount of student aid, while a number over 5273 will result in no aid at all.

What is the average EFC number?

As of 2023, the average EFC for a four-year undergraduate student was around $14,000 per academic year. However, there are some high EFCs skewing the average because more than half of college students have EFCs at or below $2,500.

What EFC number qualifies for Pell Grant?

Federal Pell Grant

The maximum Pell Grant for the 2023-24 award year is $7,395. The maximum Pell Grant per term is $3,698 for Fall/$3697 for Spring. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) range for 2023-24 Pell Grant eligibility is 0 – 6,656.

What is the highest EFC number?

Use of the expected family contribution

Generally speaking, the lower the EFC, the higher the financial aid award will be. Zero is the lowest EFC number (indicating that the family cannot afford to pay anything) and 999,999 is the highest.

How do I know if my EFC is 0?

Zero is the lowest EFC number with 99,999 as the highest. If a dependent students' family's income is less than $24,000 and government assistance was needed for that filing year, the EFC will automatically be zero. A zero means a family has no ability to contribute to the student's education.

What does EFC 0 C mean on FAFSA?

According to the Federal Student Aid Office (FSA), students who qualify as having 0 EFC are eligible to receive all types of need-based aid to pay for their education as their families are unable to financially contribute.

Why is my EFC so high with no income?

If you/your family has a low income but a lot of assets, your EFC may be higher than you expected. If this does not seem to be the case, however, consider filing a financial aid appeal to have your EFC recalculated.

Is EFC the amount I have to pay?

The EFC caused confusion for years, experts say, because many families believed the calculation was the amount they were required to pay for college. However, that wasn't true. Colleges determine financial need by subtracting the student's EFC, now the SAI, from the total cost of attendance.

Is FAFSA getting rid of EFC?

Beginning in the 2024–25 award year, changes to the FAFSA process will include the following, among others: The Simplified Needs Test formula and automatic-zero EFC were eliminated.

What is the EFC for 100k income?

The basic theory is that the lower your EFC, the bigger your financial aid award. A family with an adjusted income of $50,000 and two dependents would expect to have an EFC of around $3,800 without considering any other financial assets. A family with income of $100,000, would have an EFC of approximately $20,000.

What if I think my EFC is wrong?

If you believe that a college has calculated your EFC incorrectly, contact the financial aid office. Financial aid administrators can explain how they determined your EFC and discuss your options. Your EFC may be lowered if your family has had a significant change in income or expenses since you applied.

How accurate is the EFC on FAFSA?

Despite its name, the expected family contribution (EFC) isn't the exact amount your family will pay toward your education — many families end up paying more than the estimated EFC, especially when including student loan interest. Rather, your EFC is a key factor in calculating your financial aid package.

What happens if my parents won't pay my EFC?

If your parents or guardians refuse to pay for college, your best options may be to file the FAFSA as an independent. Independent filers are not required to include information about their parents' income or assets. As a result, your EFC will be very low and you will probably get a generous financial aid offer.

What does an EFC of $4000 mean?

Your EFC is a dollar amount. If your EFC was 4,000 and your college costs are estimated to be only $4,000, you would not be eligible for any need-based aid. Your EFC is one factor that determines how much federal aid you are eligible for, although it is not necessarily how much you will receive.

What is the average EFC for 50k income?

An Expected Family Contribution is a dollar figure that represents what financial aid formulas believe a family should be able to pay for one year of a child's college education. No. 2: The EFC for the average American household with an AGI of $50,000 will usually range from $3,000 to $4,000.