【How-to】What determines how much student loans you get

Cost of Attendance (COA) – Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Financial Need. For example, if the total COA (Tuition & Fees, Room and Board, Books, Supplies, etc) at a particular school was $50,000, and the family’s EFC from the FAFSA was $30,000, they would have $20,000 of financial need.