Expected Family Contribution
Encyclopedia
Expected Family Contribution (or EFC) is a term used in the college financial aid process in the United States. It is an estimate of the parents' and/or student's ability to contribute to post-secondary education expenses. Generally speaking, the lower the EFC the higher the financial aid award from the college may be. Zero is the lowest EFC number, and 99,999 is the highest.
The EFC is calculated based on a student's responses to questions in the FAFSA if the FAFSA was completed without significant errors. Some colleges and universities may use the CSS Profile
to calculate EFC (or have their own form). A major difference between the FAFSA and the CSS Profile is that the CSS Profile takes home equity (value of your house) into account when determining ability to pay, while the FAFSA does not.
The EFC is usually subtracted from the cost of attendance
(COA) of the college or university to determine a student's financial need. If , then a student has financial need.
Eligibility for a number of federal, state, local, and institutional aid programs is based on a student's EFC.
Items that will lower a student's EFC:
For the 2010–2011 school year the maximum EFC for a student to be eligible for a Pell Grant
is $5273.
The EFC is calculated based on a student's responses to questions in the FAFSA if the FAFSA was completed without significant errors. Some colleges and universities may use the CSS Profile
CSS Profile
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE , short for the College Scholarship Service Profile, is an application distributed by the College Board in the United States allowing college students to apply for financial aid. It is primarily designed to give private member institutions of the College Board a closer...
to calculate EFC (or have their own form). A major difference between the FAFSA and the CSS Profile is that the CSS Profile takes home equity (value of your house) into account when determining ability to pay, while the FAFSA does not.
The EFC is usually subtracted from the cost of attendance
Cost of attendance
In education finance in the United States, the cost of attendance is the estimated full and reasonable cost of completing a full year as a full-time student...
(COA) of the college or university to determine a student's financial need. If , then a student has financial need.
Eligibility for a number of federal, state, local, and institutional aid programs is based on a student's EFC.
Items that will lower a student's EFC:
- Additional family members supported by the head of the household (e.g., siblings or grandparents who are living at home)
- Additional siblings in college
- Lower income (especially student income)
- Fewer assets (especially student assets)
For the 2010–2011 school year the maximum EFC for a student to be eligible for a Pell Grant
Pell Grant
A Pell Grant is money the federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree or who are not enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating...
is $5273.