<p>To answer your original question - are all need-based awards the same - the answer is no. Some need-based aid is in the form of grants, which do not need to be repaid; some is in the form of loans, which do need to be repaid; some may be in the form of work-study, which needs to be earned (although I’m not sure of the parameters of work-study for international students). The particular “package” - the proportion of money that doesn’t need to be repaid v. money that needs to be repaid or earned - can vary greatly between colleges, even if the dollar amount is the same.</p>
<p>Additionally, schools such as MIT which use the Profile or their own similar forms, make their own calculations to determine what your need is. MIT may come up with one number for your need, while CalTech or Harvard may come up with a wildly different one. Since the schools are giving out their own money, they are permitted to make whatever calculations they wish.</p>