Here is the calculation used by all U.S. colleges & universities:
COA - EFC = DN
Cost of Attendance minus Expected Family Contribution equals Demonstrated Need
Cost of Attendance (COA)
All colleges are required to calculate their estimated cost of attendance & have the information readily available. You can generally find it on a school’s Financial Aid page and look/search for "Net Price Calculator".
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Expected Family Contribution is an amount officially determined by filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and possibly the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (depending on the school’s requirements). These forms' calculations will determine your Demonstrated Need (DN). There are calculators that will closely estimate your EFC, such as
this one. See Fairview's
FAFSA and CSS PROFILE page for more information.
Demonstrated Need (DN)
Demonstrated Need is often met in a Financial Aid package from the college, which may include:
- Scholarships and Grants - Need or merit-based awards from federal, state, school or other sources that do not need to be paid back
- Work-Study - Paying jobs provided by school
- Loans - Federally backed student loans
Click here for more information on Demonstrated Need sources of money.
Unfortunately, not all schools are able to meet 100% of a student's Demonstrated Need. This may be an important factor when choosing which schools to apply to. You can learn whether a certain school will meet a student's Demonstrated Need by looking at its profile on sites such as
Big Future, or
College Data.