Understanding Your Award
Your award letter from UH West O’ahu will contain important information about the aid you are being offered. Please read it carefully and always keep a copy readily available for reference.
You will be notified via email when your Award letter is ready to be viewed on your MyUH Services tab. All subsequent Revised Award Letters will only be posted to your MyUH Services account.
Financial Need
A student’s Financial Need is calculated as the difference between the Cost of Attendance (COA), sometimes referred to as the student’s “budget”, and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Once the student’s financial need is established, the Financial Aid Office will determine a financial aid award.
Cost of Attendance
The cost of attendance budget for the period covered by the financial aid award is comprised of the following components:
- Tuition
- Student Fees
- Books & Supplies
- Room & Board
- Transportation
- Personal/Miscellaneous Expenses
These budgets will vary in total amounts depending on the number of credit hours for which the student is enrolled and whether the student will be living at home or off-campus.
The Expected Family Contribution
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measure of your family’s financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. Your family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) are all considered in the formula. Also considered are your family size and the number of family members who will attend college during the year.
- Parental Contribution (PC) is calculated for dependent students only, based on the parent’s FAFSA information.
- Student Contribution (SC) is calculated for dependent and independent students based on the student’s (and spouse’s if applicable) FAFSA information.
The information you report on your FAFSA is used to calculate your EFC. Schools use the EFC to determine your federal student aid eligibility and financial aid award.
Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. It is a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.
Award
Award funds are listed by name on your financial aid award letter and are broken down by semester. If you have been awarded aid for a semester that you do not plan to be here, please notify our office immediately so an adjustment or correction can be made.
Accepting Your Award
To review and accept your award, please visit the MyUH Services tab.
