Student Eligibility

How is my eligibility determined?

Students and families must show financial need to receive most kinds of financial aid. Financial need is the difference between what it costs for you to go to school, called the cost of attendance, and the Student Aid Index. While COA varies from school to school, your SAI does not change based on the school you attend.

Cost of attendance budgets are standard amounts set up by CUNY and assigned to all students who apply for financial aid. Student budgets include direct school costs like tuition, fees, books, supplies, and transportation. They also include indirect costs like rent, food, and personal expenses.

The only part of the cost of attendance that you pay directly to the college is tuition and fees. The other costs are covered from a combination of financial aid and your family's financial resources. Check the College Expenses page for the cost of attendance budgets for the current school year.

When your FAFSA is processed, you will see an Student Aid Index or SAI number on your application results. SAI is an eligibility index number that your college’s or career school’s financial aid office uses to determine how much federal student aid you would receive if you attend the school. It ranges from –1500 to 999999. A negative SAI indicates the student has a higher financial need. This number is not a dollar amount of aid eligibility or what your family is expected to provide.

Your applications will ask certain questions to determine your dependency status. A dependent student must report parents' income along with their own, or an independent student who will only have to report their own (including spouse's) income and resources.

To get a quick estimate of your SAI without actually filing a FAFSA, use this quick and easy SAI Calculator:

The primary responsibility of paying for school rests with you and your family, but KCC will try to help you meet your cost of education. We encourage you to apply for financial aid each year, even if you think that you might not be eligible. Most students discover that there is at least one aid program they can benefit from.