Financial Aid & Scholarship Office

Understanding Your Offer

Student Aid Index (SAI)

When your FAFSA or CADAA is processed, a formula is applied to the information you provided. The formula result is the Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is an index used in determining the types and amounts of federal and state aid for which you qualify. A common misconception about SAI is that it equals the amount you will pay for college, but it is just an index.


The SAI formula calculates the total financial resources of you and your parents (or spouse in some cases) then deducts the amount needed for your family's normal annual living expenses. The remaining amount may, in part, be allocated for college expenses and we use the SAI to determine your Financial Need. Need-based aid is offered based on your (or your family’s) financial need.

For FAFSA applicants, most of the tax information used to calculate the SAI is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA form if you provide your consent and approval. If you are not able transfer directly from IRS, your manually entered data will be used. For CADAA applicants, your manually entered data will be used.

Your SAI will stay the same no matter which college you attend, because it is the product of a standardized formula. However, you may be eligible for different types and amounts of aid at different colleges, because each college has its own Cost of Attendance.

Cost of Attendance (COA)

Cost of Attendance, also known as the student budget, is based on the estimated cost of a typical student’s expenses for a nine-month academic year (fall and spring semesters). These budgets include direct university charges (tuition and fees, and on-campus housing and meals) and estimates of direct expenses (transportation, books and supplies, miscellaneous living expenses, and off-campus housing, utilities and meals.

Each college calculates its own student budget. Your estimated COA, or budget, will vary at Chico State depending on where you live: on-campus, off-campus, or with your parents/relatives. Your COA will also vary depending on if you are an undergraduate, graduate or credential student.

Financial Aid Offer

Several factors determine the amount and type of financial aid you are offered:

  • your Student Aid Index (SAI)
  • Your Cost of Attendance (COA)
  • your Financial Need (Your COA minus your SAI)
    • Note: a negative SAI is counted as zero in the Financial Need is calculation
  • timing of your application
  • availability of funds
  • your total need-based and non-need-based aid cannot exceed your total Cost of Attendance for the academic year

Depending on the need analysis results and timing of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA), your offer may include grants and loans from federal, state, and institutional sources. Your financial aid offer may also include other financial assistance offered by the University such as scholarships, tuition waivers, stipends, and other third party payments.

For 2025-26, the priority deadline to submit your FAFSA or CADAA is March 3, 2025. Offers will be emailed in the spring. 

Reminder

Offers are estimated based on full-time enrollment. However, the financial aid you will actually receive is based on SAI,need and enrollment. If you are not enrolled full-time, or drop below full-time, you will receive financial aid that is prorated for the number of units in which you are enrolled. View Enrollment Requirements for financial aid full-time status. Please call us at 530-898-6451, email finaid@csuchico.edu, or stop by our office in Student Services Center 250 if you have any additional questions.