Demonstrated financial "need" is the difference between the cost of attending a college or university and the amount of your expected family contribution (EFC) as determined by the FAFSA.



The formula by which your EFC is derived takes income, certain assets, family size, and number of children in college into consideration, among other factors. The federal government does not expect you to have this money on hand; it is a measure of your family's financial strength and ability to pay for college over the course of the year.



Your need is determined by subtracting the EFC from the cost of attendance at Stetson University. For example, if the cost of attendance for a full-time undergraduate living on campus is $39,000 and the EFC is $10,000, then the demonstrated financial need would be $29,000.



$39,000 - $10,000 = $29,000

One of the most common misconceptions is that parents are expected to contribute more if their child attends a private university instead of a public university or a community college. The EFC is derived from the information on your FAFSA, not the cost of a specific school. So in most situations, the EFC is constant.



The Stetson Office of Financial Aid will work with you to put together an aid package to meet your need. Although your level of need does not always guarantee that enough resources exist on the federal, state, or institutional level, we offer a variety of alternative financing options to bridge the gap between your financial need and available resources.