FAFSA SAI Calculator (Former EFC)
Estimate your 2026-27 Student Aid Index (SAI), formerly EFC, and get a cautious Pell Grant estimate using the post-FAFSA Simplification rules.
Important 2026-27 FAFSA update
EFC is the old term. The current FAFSA uses Student Aid Index (SAI). This page keeps the legacy EFC URL for searchers, but the calculator and guidance below are SAI-first.
Parent Information
Exclude retirement accounts and primary home equity for federal FAFSA purposes.
Student Information
Student assets are assessed more heavily than parent assets in the federal formula.
Family Details
Context only: federal SAI no longer divides parent contribution by this number.
Enter your information to estimate SAI
Start with parent AGI and family size
SAI replaced EFC
Keep using this page if you searched for EFC, but the current FAFSA output is SAI.
SAI can be negative
Federal guidance caps negative SAI at -1,500 to flag the highest-need students.
Your offer comes later
Schools package aid after admission. FAFSA SAI is not your final net price.
2026-27 SAI Formula Notes
Pell Grant maximum
The 2026-27 maximum Federal Pell Grant is $7,395 before enrollment intensity and school packaging.
Student income allowance
Dependent student income is protected up to $11,770 before this estimator applies a student income contribution.
Federal SAI range
Federal guidance allows SAI values from -1,500 to 999,999; negative SAI flags the highest-need cases.
How to Use Your SAI
Federal financial need is generally compared against a school's cost of attendance. A simple planning formula is:
A low SAI helps with Pell Grant and need-based aid eligibility, but colleges differ widely in how much need they meet. After estimating SAI here, use the college cost calculator to compare net price scenarios by school.
Official FAFSA Sources
This calculator is for planning. For an official estimate, use the Federal Student Aid Estimator or review your FAFSA Submission Summary after submitting FAFSA.