Understanding Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Key Information

• Your Expected Family Contribution is the most important information on your Student Aid Report (SAR).
• Schools use Expected Family Contribution to calculate your financial need. This determines your eligibility for financial aid.
• You will receive a financial aid award letter from the school(s) you listed on the FAFSA.

Expected Family Contribution is your family's ability to pay for school.

The information you reported on your FAFSA is used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution. It is officially reported on your Student Aid Report.

What Is Expected Family Contribution

Your Expected Family Contribution is commonly referred to as your family's "ability to pay."

The lower your Expected Family Contribution, the more likely you will be eligible for need-based aid, such as grants and federal loans. The higher your Expected Family Contribution, the more likely you will need to find additional sources of aid that are not based on need, such as merit scholarships, savings, or alternative loans.

Why It Is Important

Your Expected Family Contribution is used to determine your eligibility for financial aid programs, such as:

• Federal programs, like Pell Grants, Perkins loans, Stafford loans, and work-study.
• Pennsylvania state programs, like the State Grant, state work-study, and other special programs.
• School programs, like private grants and need-based scholarships.

Each school you listed on your FAFSA uses your Expected Family Contribution to calculate your financial need and create your financial aid offer.

How Expected Family Contribution Is Calculated

The Expected Family Contribution is determined using a formula established by the federal government. Family size, number of family members in college, family income, and assets are used to calculate this figure.

Schools may use additional factors or consider special family situations, such as high medical costs or recent unemployment, to determine eligibility for both federal and school-based financial aid. Contact your school financial aid administrator if you have extenuating circumstances that impact your family’s ability to pay for higher education.

Did you know?

• Most often, a lower Expected Family Contribution means you can qualify for more student financial aid.
• Financial aid awards can differ greatly from school to school. Check out Step 4: Compare schools' financial aid offers carefully.
• You can use the EFC Calculator to estimate your Expected Family Contribution.