When you get tour financial aid letter it should say something like;
Costs
Tuition = $15k
Room = $7k
Board (food) = $6k
Fees = $2k
TOTAL = $30k
Awards
Scholarship = $5k
Pell grant = $3k
Work study grant = $2k
Federal student loan (subsidized) =$3500
Fed. student loan (unsubsidized) = $2000
Total aid = $15,500
You take the $30k cost of attendance and subtract ONLY the grants (scholarship + Pell + work study) to get your net cost – in this case, $20k/year.
How you cover that net cost is up to you. You can take the federal student loans (~$5500/year). Your family has to come up with the rest.