Body
Student Aid Index (SAI), also known as Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), is a measure of the student's and their family's ability to pay post secondary expenses. It is calculated using the data on the FAFSA and a formula in the HEA known as Federal Methodology (FM). While a student's budget may vary from one school to another, the SAI is the same, regardless of which institution the student attends. Like the budget, the SAI is for a specific period of enrollment, usually the academic year. A student's SAI can be as low as negative 1,500, however, a negative SAI will never allow a student to be packaged over their Cost of attendance (COA). A negative SAI will help a school identify the exceptionally needy.