Financial Need & FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI)

Undergraduate Financial Aid

DU uses the information you report on the CSS Profile to determine eligibility for institutional need-based aid, such as the DU Educational Grant. We use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for federal aid, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans , work-study, and Colorado state aid.

Financial need, which is a requirement for need-based aid, is determined by comparing the total cost of attendance to the measures used by the Federal SAI and the CSS Profile.

Eligibility Considerations

Your SAI and CSS Profile information is used in determining your eligibility for a variety of different financial aid awards.

  • Eligibility for need-based DU scholarships

    Eligibility for DU need-based aid is determined with information from the CSS Profile and CSS Institutional Methodology calculations, with some school-specific modifications. These calculations are proven to give a fair and reasonable assessment of a family's financial strength.

    Family income is one of several factors considered. Other factors include the number of household members, the number of siblings or certain other household members attending college as undergraduates, and the financial assets of both students and parents. The DU calculation of total income usually excludes certain losses and includes certain types of tax-deferred income.


    Use our Quick Cost Estimator or Net Price Calculator to help you and your family estimate your out-of-pocket expense needed to attend DU.

  • Eligibility for federal aid

    Eligibility for federal financial aid is determined by your FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) using information provided on the FAFSA and federally legislated formulas.  While it's possible to have a negative SAI, if assigned, it will always equate to 0 for the purposes of administering aid.

    Once your FAFSA is complete and processed by the Department of Education, you'll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) which will include your SAI.

  • Eligibility for renewal of aid

    If your financial need has not changed substantially and you meet all other eligibility criteria, you can expect your aid to be renewed in subsequent years.

    However, changes in your family's financial circumstances, such as income, assets, or the number of household members attending college, can affect your eligibility for need-based aid. 

    > Financial Aid Appeals

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Financial Aid