Does Sibling Income Affect Financial Aid?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Truth: Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is based

on more than just income

. The amount of financial aid your child is eligible for depends on a variety of factors, including the price of the school they will attend and if they have a sibling in college at the same time.

Does having a sibling at a college help?

If you do have a sibling legacy,

it could give you a small boost in the admissions process

. … While a parent legacy can give you an edge if your profile is weaker than the average admit, a sibling legacy likely won’t give you the same kind of advantage.

Do you get more financial aid if you have a sibling in college?


Families with multiple children in college at the same time may have greater financial aid eligibility

. … However when the eldest sibling leaves college, the EFC for the younger sibling increases to reflect that the family again has only one child in college.

Do colleges give sibling discounts?

The discount is 50 percent of the school tuition, which is about $10,000 each. Because it is a scholarship, though, you and your twin must maintain at least a 3.3 GPA. In general, the aid that colleges that offer sibling discounts

varies from about $500 a year to fifty percent of the tuition

.

Does FAFSA ask about siblings in college?

This child does not need to be a student nor to apply for financial aid to be counted in household size on the sibling’s FAFSA. … The

FAFSA uses a support test for siblings

instead of a residency test because it is common for a parent to support a child that does not live with the parent.

Are you a legacy if your sibling went to college?

A

college applicant

is said to have legacy status at a college if a member of the applicant’s immediate family attends or attended the college. In other words, if your parents or a sibling attend or attended a college, you would be a legacy applicant for that college.

Does Brown consider sibling legacy?


Yes

, children of Brown alumni–legacies–have a “tip”, according to Dean Miller. According to Dean Miller, if an applicant has a sibling at Brown, that fact is accorded “almost no weight”.

Can I get a discount on tuition?

But most families don’t realize tuition discounting is possible, college aid experts say. …

Get a tuition waiver based on income level

. While families with low income will qualify for federal financial need-based aid, some colleges chip in extra cash in the form of tuition waivers.

How much income will affect financial aid?

The student income allowance is $6,660 for 2019-2020. Plus, after that, only “

50 percent of your non-work-study income

will count against your eligibility to receive federal student funding.” There are also other types of income that do not have to be counted as income in this calculation.

Does UNH offer a sibling discount?


One university offered a 50-percent discount if they attended together

. Raymond Zabkar considered finishing his associates degree at Great Bay Community College, where he and his sisters had earned college credits during their high school years.

Can 2 people in the same household get FAFSA?


Each student in the household must fill out a separate FAFSA to

be eligible for Pell Grants and other types of aid. … When dependent siblings fill out a FAFSA, they will have the same parent information but will each report their own personal income and assets, which can affect their aid.

Is a separate FAFSA required for each child?

Each of your children will need to fill out a FAFSA form. Your children will need to provide your (parent) information on their 2021–22 FAFSA forms unless they are going to graduate school, were born before Jan.

Do I get more financial aid if I have a child?

If you are an independent student filling out a FAFSA, also known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid,

the more dependents you have

– meaning children who you support financially – the greater aid you will receive.

Is sibling a legacy?

Legacy refers to a student whose family member attended a college or university. Some schools only consider parents when assessing legacy status, while others consider grandparents or siblings. Legacy typically is associated with preferential treatment by an admissions office.

Does Upenn do sibling legacy?

Some speculate that already having a sibling at Penn means higher chances of getting into the school, even though

it does not grant an official legacy status

— something Sidhu experienced after getting in early decision last year.

Why do colleges ask if a sibling is applying?

Yet, the Common App and other applications inquire about siblings, sometimes even asking if a sibling is applying to the same school. Legacy influences admissions decisions, so the idea that

demonstrated interest by more than one member of

a family might improve admissions odds.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.