Do I get more financial aid if I live on campus?

Category: personal finance student financial aid
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The truth is that most students do not receive more financial aid if they live off campus. In fact, in many cases, they will receive less financial aid. Ultimately, the amount of aid you receive is determined by the university's estimates for on-campus and off-campus housing.



Likewise, does fafsa check if you live on campus?

When you fill out your FAFSA, indicate whether you will be living on or off-campus. If there are funds leftover, they will then be applied to on-campus housing and dining costs. If you are living off-campus, then you will receive a check for the balance that is left over after tuition and fees are covered.

Also, how much does fafsa cover housing? You can only use your financial aid up to the amount specified in the cost of attendance. For example, if you want to rent an off-campus apartment for $15,000 per year, and your financial aid only covers $10,000 per year, you'll have to pay the remainder out of pocket.

Beside above, do you get more financial aid if you have a sibling in college?

Families with multiple children in college at the same time may have greater financial aid eligibility. However when the eldest sibling leaves college, the EFC for the younger sibling increases to reflect that the family again has only one child in college.

Is it cheaper to live on campus or off campus?

The Pros of Living on Campus While off-campus rents may be cheaper than the price of room and board at school in certain cases, rent rarely provides the range of services that a school offers. Another cost that living on campus eliminates is buying furniture. Every dorm room comes with at least a bed and a desk.

39 Related Question Answers Found

How much does fafsa give you if you live off campus?

For example: In 2017, off-campus students received a standard $10,563 for housing expenses for the academic year (nine months), while on-campus students received up to $15,425.

Can fafsa pay for housing?

Yes. If you receive financial aid, you can use it to help pay for off-campus housing. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) says that you can use these dollars to pay for the cost of attending an institution of higher education, which includes room and board, including off-campus housing.

Can financial aid pay for rent?

Q: Can financial aid or student loans be used to pay rent on an apartment? A: The answer is yes, but you need to be careful how much you borrow and what types of student loans you borrow. Financial aid and student loans can cover the cost of books, housing, food, transportation, and even entertainment.

Can the Pell grant be used for housing?

Grants for Room and Board
Pell Grants can work like housing scholarships that cover a meal plan and room costs. Students living on campus typically apply their Pell Grant to dorm expenses. Some off-campus housing, though, can be automatically paid along with tuition.

How much can you get from financial aid?


The Federal Pell Grant is one of the most common forms of financial aid given your EFC. The maximum Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is $4,000, with an average grant of $599.

Can I use a student loan to pay for rent?

Student loans can be used to pay for room and board, which includes both on- and off-campus housing. So the short answer is yes, students can use money from their loans to pay monthly rent for apartments and other forms of residence away from campus. If you choose to live in a dorm, you may be able to save some money.

Will fafsa cover room and board?

Aid and Other Resources From the Federal Government
Federal student aid from ED covers such expenses as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid can also help pay for other related expenses, such as a computer and dependent care.

How can I get more financial aid money?

4 steps to getting more financial aid money
  1. Move the money around. Before you start the financial aid process, consider moving money from your child's assets into your personal accounts.
  2. Complete the FAFSA. The sooner you complete the FAFSA, the better.
  3. Submit all college financial aid applications.
  4. Appeal the award offer.

Does household size affect fafsa?

Family size affects the amount of financial aid a student will receive. The financial aid formula used by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) calculates an income protection allowance (APA) based, in part, on family size. A larger family size yields a larger APA.

Can siblings use the same fafsa?


If your parents have another child in school, they can transfer much of their information from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) into a new FAFSA for your brother or sister to save time. The link to transfer displays on the "Confirmation" page after you and your parent sign and submit your FAFSA.

Do colleges accept siblings?

Having a sibling who attends your target college (or who is an alumnus) will usually work in your favor. There are simply too many siblings who are eager to enroll and too many non-siblings who are just as qualified (or more so). But, at the majority of other colleges, the sibling "hook" counts at least a little.

What is the maximum income to qualify for fafsa?

The maximum award for the 2015-2016 academic year is $5,775. Your eligibility is decided by the FAFSA. Students whose total family income is $50,000 a year or less qualify, but most Pell grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000.

Can two people in the same household receive financial aid?

Each student in the household must fill out a separate FAFSA to be eligible for Pell Grants and other types of aid. When dependent siblings fill out a FAFSA, they will have the same parent information but will each report their own personal income and assets, which can affect their aid.

Why are student loans based on parents income?

The loans should be based on parental income as a higher income means they have the ability to provide financial support. A family of low income can definitely not provide much, if any, support.

Do colleges give sibling discounts?


Even if a college or university does not have a specific scholarship fund or award designated for twins, they may have a sibling discount program. These programs offer a discount when siblings from the same family are enrolled simultaneously.

Do I complete a separate fafsa for each child?

Do families need to complete a separate FAFSA for each child? Yes. However, after you've completed a FAFSA on the web for one child, you will be given the option of transferring parental data for that FAFSA to the FAFSA for the next child.

Is the EFC per child or per family?

The EFC is a combination of how much a parent and student are expected to contribute towards the student's cost to attend college. The EFC is not necessarily the amount of money your family will have to pay for college, nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive.