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.
Reviewed May 26, 2026. DegreeCalc calculators are educational planning tools; verify final tuition, aid, transcript, loan, and employment decisions with official school, federal, servicer, or employer records.
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 and the minimum published award is $740 before enrollment intensity, lifetime eligibility, and school packaging.
Pell SAI cutoff
Starting in 2026-27, an SAI at or above $14,790 generally blocks Pell eligibility unless a Special Rule exception applies.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EFC still used on the FAFSA?
No. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) was replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI) starting with the 2024-25 award year. People still search for EFC calculators, but the current FAFSA uses SAI.
What is the Student Aid Index (SAI)?
The SAI is a formula-based index number used by schools to determine federal student aid eligibility. Federal Student Aid says the SAI ranges from -1,500 to 999,999 and is not the dollar amount you will pay or the amount of aid you will receive.
What is the maximum Pell Grant for 2026-27?
Federal Student Aid lists the maximum Federal Pell Grant for the 2026-27 award year as $7,395 and the minimum award as $740. Your actual award depends on FAFSA data, enrollment intensity, cost of attendance, Pell lifetime eligibility, and school packaging.
What SAI is too high for a Pell Grant in 2026-27?
For 2026-27, Federal Student Aid says applicants with an SAI equal to or greater than twice the maximum Pell Grant amount are generally ineligible for Pell. With a $7,395 maximum award, that cutoff is $14,790, except for Special Rule cases.
Does FAFSA still divide aid by the number of children in college?
No. Under the SAI formula, the old federal sibling-in-college division from EFC was removed. Some colleges may still consider multiple enrolled siblings for institutional aid, but federal SAI no longer automatically divides the parent contribution.
Why can SAI be negative?
The SAI can go as low as -1,500. A negative SAI signals higher financial need and can help schools identify students likely to qualify for maximum Pell Grant and other need-based aid.
Is this the official FAFSA calculation?
No. This is a simplified planning estimator. The official FAFSA uses IRS data, tax allowances, poverty-guideline tests, dependency rules, asset-reporting exemptions, and school review. Use the official Federal Student Aid Estimator or your FAFSA Submission Summary for official numbers.