Education
Why the same student gets very different offers
An offer is calculated against one school's own costs, not against a national figure, which makes raw comparison misleading.
Each school calculates an offer against its own cost of attendance, so the same household information produces different results in different places. A larger award from a more expensive school is not necessarily the better outcome.
Schools also differ in how much institutional money they have and what they use it for. Some direct it by financial need, some use it to attract particular applicants, and most do a mixture that they do not publish in detail.
Living arrangements change the figure too. The same school publishes different costs of attendance for living at home, on campus, or off campus, and the one applied to you should match your actual plan.
Offers are not always final. Where circumstances have changed since the information was filed, schools have a review process, and the following article covers what it is called and how to ask.
What to do next. Compare gaps rather than awards, and check the offer used the right living arrangement.
studentaid.gov outranks this page. Rules, figures and dates change
between academic years. This is written to help you read the official sources, not to
stand in front of them. Start there.
Nothing here is a determination. We cannot tell you what you qualify
for, and no website can. The programme and the office that runs it decide that, after
you apply.
Still have a question?
Describe what you are trying to work out and a member of the team will answer, or direct you to the office that makes the decision.