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Understanding Your Award

Where Do the Numbers Come From?

Your award will show a simple equation that looks like this:

Budget – Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Need

Where do the numbers come from and what do they mean?

Budget

Your budget is your cost of attendance. This includes estimated expenses for both school and your upkeep for the year. Some of the costs will be owed to Chaminade and some will not. For example, if you are living on campus, your room and board costs will be paid to Chaminade, but if you are living off campus they will not. For more details and to see your itemized cost of attendance budget, please see the budget for your program.

Expected Family Contribution

The EFC is determined by information you have submitted in your FAFSA. This is what the federal processor has determined that you/your family can contribute to your education for the year. We understand that this amount may not be realistic for you/your family situation. Chaminade does not expect that you/your family will necessarily be able to pay this contribution; therefore a loan may be indicated in your award to cover the EFC.

Need

Need is the amount left over after the EFC is applied to your budget. Your need may be high, low, or in the middle:

  • If you have a high level of need, or if it is the same as the entire budget amount, you will be eligible for federal and institutional need grants and scholarships. Please note that grants are “free money” and do not need to be repaid. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to accept your award.
  • If your need is somewhere between zero and the budget amount, your package is likely to be a mix of scholarships, grants, and loans. You will need to determine just how much money you should borrow to meet your financial obligations during the school year, and how much you/your family may be able to pay for. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for help and to accept your award.
  • If your need is zero, or a very low amount, your EFC will be very high. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to determine your options.

Questions?

If you have additional questions or concerns about where these numbers came from or what they mean, please refer to Common Questions and Concerns About Award Amounts or contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Learn More About Your Package

The links below contain more information about the types of financial aid that you may have been awarded:

Important Reminders Regarding Your Award

  • You must accept your award in order to receive funds.
  • If you receive a scholarship from an outside source that is not shown in your award, you must report it to the Financial Aid Office.
  • You must advise the Financial Aid Office if your living status changes (such as on campus, with parents, etc.) as this may change the amount and types of awards you are qualified to receive.