Student Eligibility

Students and families must demonstrate financial need to receive most types of financial aid. Financial need is the difference between what it costs for you to attend school—called the Cost of Attendance (COA)—and your Student Aid Index (SAI).

While COA varies by school, your SAI does not change based on the school you attend. Cost of attendance budgets are standard amounts established by CUNY and applied to all students who apply for financial aid.

These budgets include:

Direct educational costs

  • Tuition
  • Fees
  • Books and supplies
  • Transportation

Indirect educational costs

  • Housing or rent
  • Food
  • Personal expenses

The only portion of the Cost of Attendance you pay directly to the college is tuition and fees. The remaining costs are typically covered through a combination of financial aid and family financial resources.

To view the current estimated costs, please visit our page Understanding Your Cost of Attendance.

When your FAFSA is processed, you will receive a Student Aid Index (SAI) on your FAFSA Submission Summary.The SAI is an eligibility number used by your college’s financial aid office to determine how much federal student aid you may receive if you attend the school.

  • The SAI ranges from –1500 to 999999
  • A negative SAI indicates higher financial need
  • The SAI is not a dollar amount of aid eligibility and does not represent what your family must pay

Your FAFSA will also include questions to determine your dependency status.

  • Dependent students must report their parents’ income and financial information along with their own.
  • Independent students report only their own income and resources, including a spouse’s information if married.

To estimate your Student Aid Index before submitting the FAFSA, you can use the official SAI Calculator

While the primary responsibility for paying for college rests with you and your family, York College is committed to helping students meet their educational costs. We encourage all students to apply for financial aid each year, even if they believe they may not qualify. Many students discover they are eligible for at least one form of financial assistance.

Revised: March 9, 2026