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Determining Need & Eligibility

Step 2

Determining Financial Aid Need and Eligibility

Once we receive your FAFSA, our Financial Aid team begins putting together your financial aid offer. This requires us to determine your need and eligibility.

Reviewing Need for Financial Aid

Ƶ, like all higher-education institutions, determines your financial aid offers by starting with a calculation based on total education expenses and financial need. 

COA - SAI = Financial Need

Cost of Attendance (COA)

The cost of attendance (COA) refers to the total amount of education expenses (tuition, books and supplies, food and housing, personal expenses, transportation expenses, etc.).

Student Aid Index (SAI)

The SAI is the number used to determine your eligibility for federal, state and institutional need-based aid programs. This number results from the financial information provided in your FAFSA.

Once we have the result of this calculation, we consider all the available financial resources available to you.

Your current financial circumstances may not be reflected completely on the FAFSA and can affect your ability to pay for your education. The federal government provides us with a tool known as Professional Judgment to help with these situations.

Eligibility Requirements

General eligibility requirements that you must meet are:

  • demonstrate financial need (for most programs),

  • be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen,

  • have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of Palau)

  • be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student,

  • be enrolled at least half time to be eligible for Direct Loan Program funds

  • maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Click here to learn more about SAP.

  • sign statements on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) stating that

    • you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and

    • you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes, and

  • show you’re qualified to obtain a college or career school education by

    • having a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or

    • completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law.

To maintain financial aid eligibility, you must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward obtaining a degree.