Financial Aid Glossary

Financial Aid has a lot of important terms that may not be familiar to you. Click the terms to learn more and, as always, when in doubt, just ask us!

• Cost of Attendance (COA)

  COA (also known as the student's budget) is the estimated total cost of attending college for an academic year and it is intended to give the student a general idea of expected costs without any financial aid. The estimated cost includes tuition and fees, off-campus living expenses (rent, utilities, and groceries), books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. How much does it cost to attend SRJC?

• Direct Costs

  Direct costs include any expense that is paid directly to the college, such as enrollment fees, lab fees, health service fees, etc. Visit our Cost of Attendance page to get an estimate of the cost of attending SRJC and use our Net Price Calculator to calculate how much financial aid award you may be eligible for.

• Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

  The Expected Family Contribution is a number generated by the information provided on the student's FAFSA or CADAA and is used to determine the student's ability to pay for college.

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

  The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded to qualified FAFSA filing students with the highest need and may vary in award amount depending on the student’s enrollment (enrolled units) and college where they are studying. Learn how to apply for FSEOG.

• Federal Work-Study (FWS)

  Federal Work-Study provides students an opportunity to earn income by working part-time while attending college. FWS is need-based and once awarded, the student will only receive these funds if they apply for and are hired for a job on-campus or select off-campus locations. A FWS job is a great way to gain work experience, network and gain income to support educational expenses. If you are eligible for FWS, it will be listed among awards in your MyFinancialAid portal. Check out the Career Hub website for more information about FWS job opportunities and to learn more about the student employment process.

• Financial Need

  Financial need defines the student's eligibility for gift aid. To determine financial aid, the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is subtracted from the Cost of Attendance (COA).

• Gift Aid

  Gift Aid comes in the form of grants and scholarships and is based on a student's academic excellence or financial need. Generally, gift aid does not require repayment.* Visit our Explore Types of Aid page to explore and discover the wide range of financial aid programs available to help you pay for college.

  ^{*Students may have to repay a portion of their aid if they withdraw from classes.}

• Grant

  A grant is a gift aid that does not generally need to be repaid.* Learn more about the various grants available to students who apply to the FAFSA by visiting our Grants page. If you are an undocumented student, please visit our Financial Aid for Undocumented Students page.

  ^{*Students may have to repay a portion of their aid if they withdraw from classes.}

• Indirect Costs

  Indirect costs include estimated expenses that are not paid directly to the college, such as books and supplies, transportation, off-campus living expenses (rent, utilities, and groceries), and personal expenses. Visit our Cost of Attendance page to get an estimate of the cost of attending SRJC and use our Net Price Calculator to calculate how much financial aid award you may be eligible for.

• Net Price

  Net price is the amount the student will need to pay using savings, income, and/or loans to cover college expenses after all financial aid has been considered. Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your financial aid award and get an estimate on potential out-of-pocket college expenses.

• Pell Grant

  This is free federal money awarded to qualified FAFSA filing students who has a high financial need. The award amount varies based on the student’s EFC and enrollment (enrolled units). There is a limit to the length of time a student can receive the Pell Grant; your Student Aid Report (SAR) will reflect this. Learn how to apply for the Pell Grant.

• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

  Satisfactory Academic Progress applies to all students, including students who are not currently receiving financial aid. SAP policy requires that students maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, earn at least 67% of their attempted units, and finish their program before reaching 150% of the program’s length. If a student does not meet any one of these criteria, they risk losing eligibility for financial aid. Check out our Satisfactory Academic Progress page to learn how to keep receiving financial aid and make sure you stay eligible.

• Scholarship

  Scholarship is a type of gift aid that can be based on academic merits and/or financial needs. SRJC offers hundreds of scholarships to SRJC students! Be sure to check out AwardSpring to submit your scholarship application and visit our scholarship essay tips page for help with your personal statement.

• Student Aid Report (SAR)

  After successfully submitting the FAFSA or CADAA, the applicant/student will receive an email with a link to their Student Aid Report (SAR) within two weeks. The SAR is accessible by logging into the student's Federal Student Aid account (for FAFSA filing students) or California Dream Act account (for CADAA filing students). The SAR summarizes the information provided on the FAFSA or CADAA, provides an estimate of the student's eligibility for aid, and the student's Expected Family Contribution. Be sure to review your Student Aid Report to make sure the information is accurate.

• Verification

  This is a mandated process for FAFSA and CADAA filers where the Financial Aid Office must verify the student supplied information on their FAFSA or CADAA. If you have been selected for verification, you may be asked to submit a verification form and provide tax documents and/or other supporting documentation. Learn more about the verification process.