Your SAI appears in your FAFSA confirmation and in your student aid report

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is a number the Department of Education calculates from your FAFSA answers. It replaces what used to be called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). You will see your SAI in two places: in the confirmation page right after you submit your FAFSA online, and in your Student Aid Report (SAR), which arrives by email or mail within a few days.

The SAI itself does not determine how much aid you receive — your school does that. Schools use your SAI along with their cost of attendance to calculate your financial need. A lower SAI means higher need and potentially more aid. If you do not see your SAI after submission, check your email (including spam folders) for the SAR, or log back into your FAFSA account at studentaid.gov.

Key Takeaways

  • Your SAI appears immediately on the FAFSA confirmation screen after you submit, and again in your Student Aid Report email within days.
  • You can view your SAI anytime by logging into studentaid.gov with your FSA ID and checking your submitted FAFSA.
  • Your school receives your SAI automatically and uses it to calculate your financial need and aid package.
  • If your SAI changes after you submit (because you corrected information), you will see the updated number in a new SAR.

Checking your SAI on studentaid.gov

Log into studentaid.gov using your FSA ID (username and password). Select "My FAFSA" from the dashboard. Find the FAFSA year you submitted — it will show as "Submitted" with a green checkmark. Click on that FAFSA to open it. Scroll down to the section labeled "Your Results" or "Student Aid Index." Your SAI number will appear there as a single figure.

If you submitted your FAFSA more than a few days ago and still do not see results, your FAFSA may still be processing. Processing typically takes three to five business days, though it can take longer during peak periods (October through April). You can check the status of your FAFSA on the same page — it will say "In Progress," "Submitted," or "Processed."

What your SAI means for your aid package

Your SAI is one input your school uses to build your aid package, but it is not the only one. Schools also look at your cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room and board, books, and living expenses). Your financial need equals your cost of attendance minus your SAI. The higher your SAI, the lower your calculated need, and typically the less aid your school will offer.

Different schools may offer different amounts of aid even if your SAI is the same, because they have different costs of attendance and different aid budgets. Your school's financial aid office will send you an aid package letter showing how much grant money, loans, and work-study they are offering. That letter will reference your SAI but will not break down the calculation in detail.

If your SAI changes after you submit

If you correct information on your FAFSA after you submit it — for example, if you update your income or family size — your SAI will recalculate. You will receive a new Student Aid Report with the updated SAI. Schools will see the new SAI and may recalculate your aid package. This can happen multiple times if you make corrections throughout the year.

If you think your SAI is wrong, do not assume it is a mistake. Double-check the income, tax information, and family details you entered on your FAFSA. If those are correct and your SAI still seems off, contact your school's financial aid office — they can review your FAFSA with you and explain how the SAI was calculated.

Sharing your SAI with your school

You do not need to manually send your SAI to your school. Once you submit your FAFSA, the Department of Education sends your SAI and all your FAFSA information directly to every school you listed. Your school receives it electronically and uses it to build your aid package. You will see your SAI on the aid package letter your school sends you, usually by email or through their student portal.

If your school asks you for your SAI, you can provide it from your Student Aid Report or from your FAFSA results page on studentaid.gov. Some schools ask students to confirm their SAI as part of the aid verification process, especially if your FAFSA information was selected for verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my SAI before my school sends me an aid package?

Yes. Your SAI appears on your FAFSA confirmation page immediately after you submit, and in your Student Aid Report email within a few days. You can also log into studentaid.gov anytime to view it. Your school will use this same SAI to calculate your aid, so you will see the same number on your aid package letter.

What if I do not see an SAI on my FAFSA results?

If your FAFSA still shows "In Progress," it has not finished processing yet. Wait three to five business days and check again. If your FAFSA shows "Submitted" or "Processed" but you see no SAI, contact the Federal Student Aid Help Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or visit studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman.

Does a higher SAI mean I get more aid?

No — it is the opposite. A higher SAI means lower financial need, which typically results in less aid. Schools calculate need as cost of attendance minus SAI. A lower SAI means higher need and potentially more aid from your school.

Will my SAI change if I update my FAFSA?

Yes. Any change to income, family size, assets, or other financial information will recalculate your SAI. You will receive a new Student Aid Report showing the updated number, and your school will see it too. Your aid package may change as a result.