<p>Basically the tuition at my university is about 22k and my total financial package is 16k, but my EFC 0. If my EFC is 0 wouldn't that mean I wouldn't have to contribute any? Correct me if Im wrong but the EFC is how much you would have to contribute correct?Or I am I missing something here. I'll give you additional details if needed.</p>
<p>Yes you have to come up with the difference. The EFC is how the college comes up with their offer. Depending on college they try to pick up a percentage of need. For example Harvard gives scholarship for 100% of need most of the time.</p>
<p>Most colleges do not meet full need. Many also expect students to contribute summer earnings and to work a job during the school year. For example, a 10 hour job at the library or rec center would probably pay for your books and maybe some of your transportation costs.</p>
<p>It depends on the college. They don’t expect you not to work and just enjoy the full financial package, therefore there is usually something that the student will be contributing - be it a FWS or just a normal job.</p>
<p>EFC 0 does NOT mean that you don’t have to pay anything.</p>
<p>The 0 is just a number that indicates how much federal aid you can get. You qualify for full Pell which is a 5550 grant. You qualify for a student loan up to an amount based on what school year you are.</p>
<p>Schools are under NO OBLIGATION to do anything with your EFC except to see what fed aid you can get. You were probably given the max federal aid.</p>
<p>besides…some of that COA is for food, housing, personal expenses and such…that really isn’t the tax-payers job to cover those costs. You’ll have to get a summer job to pay for those…and economize to bring some costs down…buy used books, etc.</p>
<p>For example Harvard gives scholarship for 100% of need most of the time.</p>
<p>true…but schools like Harvard don’t use FAFSA to come up with their numbers. They use CSS Profile. And someone can have an EFC 0 from FAFSA…and still not qualify for much aid.</p>
<p>As the others are saying, a zero EFC does not mean that you get your way paid. The EFC which is generated by FAFSA only guarantees PELL If you are eligible and some subsidies to the Stafford loan. With a zero EFC, the US government is giving you $5500 in a PELL grant and $5500 in loans through Staffords and is subsidizing some of the interest on that loan. Look at your financial aid package and see if you can see those items listed as part of your aid. How your school made up the rest, I don’t know. Did you get a grant, loan or work study for the $5K remaining?</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I think the student is a Calif resident…so if he is and going to a Calif school,then he gets a Cal grant for being low income.</p>
<p>If the above is true, then it looks like his school had no institutional aid to give.</p>