Calculating Financial Need

Calculating Financial Need

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) utilizes a set of federally mandated formulas to determine the amount of money you and your family are expected to contribute towards educational expenses. This amount is called the Expected Family Contribution or EFC. To determine eligibility for financial aid, our Student Financial Aid subtracts your EFC from the cost of attending BGSU Firelands. These costs include instructional and general fees, nonresident fees (when applicable), housing, meals, books, transportation and personal expenses. If the cost of attendance is higher than the EFC, a financial aid “package” is put together to help meet the difference between the cost and the student’s EFC. This package is limited by funding availability and program maximums. Some students are eligible for additional types of aid to help meet the EFC. Some financial aid, such as the Unsubsidized Direct Loan and Plus Loan, is not based on need. Federal regulations require that recipients of federal financial aid must be either citizens or permanent residents of the United States.