<p>Dependent student's FAFSA was filed showing a household size of 5 (two parents, dependent student, older sibling for whom parents provide over half the support, and grade school sibling).</p>
<p>The university corrected the FAFSA and changed household size from 5 to 4.</p>
<p>Student emailed the financial office asking that household size be changed back to 5, explaining that older sibling in grad school receives over half his support from parents. The FA office response was that household size will not affect the amount of the student's summer FA or 2013-2014 academic year FA.</p>
<p>Can someone tell me how household size affects EFC?</p>
<p>Household size does affect the EFC, up to a point (after a few dependents, there is no change). There is definitely a difference in EFC for 4 and 5 … unless the student has a 0 EFC, in which case it doesn’t go lower than 0.</p>
<p>What the aid officer said is NOT that the EFC isn’t affected, though … what was said is that the AID isn’t affected, correct? My guess is that no matter whether the household size is 4 or 5, in this particular case the aid will stay the same. This often is the case when an EFC is too high for much need-based aid. So if you already have all the need-based aid you would get with 4 in the household when there are 5 in the household, it won’t make any difference. Unsub and Parent PLUS are not dependent on EFC.</p>
<p>No reason not to make sure, though, that the situation is as kelsmom described. Student should verify that there will be ZERO difference in aid based on household size of 4 versus 5. The information you have is likely correct . . . but it’s always possible that someone made a mistake.</p>