<p>Does the efc include only the tuition. Lets say for ex my efc was 10,000 and i was applying at berkely, does that mean my parents are expected to pay 10,000 for tuition only not including cost of living and dorm, or 10000 for everything?</p>
<p>The EFC is the amount that your family should be able to pay without any help. That amount is the same regardless of the cost of your schooling. That is, if your cost of attendance was 15k per year or 45k per year, your parents would be expected to pay 10k if the EFC is 10k.</p>
<p>The cost of attendance (tuition/room/board/fees) minus EFC is your “need.” Financial aid will not always be offered to you in an amount that fully meets your need. For example, if your cost of attendance is 18k, you might only be offered a $3500 Stafford Loan & $1500 work study. That leaves a gap of $3k — plus, the financial aid is all self-help (and the work study is not paid up front; it is earned throughout the year if you work in a work study job). Other schools might give you a combination of grants (free money), loans, and work study that meet or come close to meeting your need.</p>
<p>If, like most families in this country, your parents cannot afford to pay the EFC out of pocket…your parents can take out a Federal PLUS loan to cover the amount…but that goes into repayment 6 months after the 2nd semester loan disbursement.</p>