Metadata
Title
What if you had the tools to be book smart and money smart?GO BEYOND THE BASICS OF FINANCIAL AID
Category
undergraduate
UUID
a96028391a5040ae8887a5ff40b210f2
Source URL
https://financialaid.rice.edu/college-affordability-101-part-2
Parent URL
https://financialaid.rice.edu/college-affordability-101
Crawl Time
2026-03-23T20:01:09+00:00
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What if you had the tools to be book smart and money smart?GO BEYOND THE BASICS OF FINANCIAL AID

Source: https://financialaid.rice.edu/college-affordability-101-part-2 Parent: https://financialaid.rice.edu/college-affordability-101

There’s a lot to learn about financial aid. Now that you’ve explored the basics, let’s dig a little deeper.

FAFSA vs. CSS Profile

To determine your eligibility for financial aid, you’ll be prompted to apply for FAFSA and the CSS Profile. What are these forms and what’s the difference? Do you need to complete both? Are they required to receive financial aid?

Compare FAFSA and CSS Profile

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Throughout the process of applying to college and for financial aid, you’ll hear a lot about your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). But what does that mean? And how does it impact your financial aid? Your EFC is an index number used by FAFSA to determine your eligibility for federal student aid. Then, to help determine your financial need, colleges and universities subtract your EFC from the Cost of Attendance (COA).

Want a more detailed explanation of EFC and how this calculation impacts your financial aid?

LEARN MORE

Your Unique Financial Aid Journey

No two students are the same, which means no two financial aid journeys are the same. We’ve compiled resources to simplify certain circumstances that may impact financial aid eligibility.

International Students DACA Students Veterans Student Athletes Transfer Students Special CircumstancesVisiting/Continuing Education

What’s the Rice Investment?

To make education more affordable, we developed an original need-based financial aid program – granting students awards based on their family income eligibility.

THE RICE INVESTMENT

MOney 101

It’s important to be financially literate—and not just when it comes to paying for school!

Savings & Interest

Savings & Interest

Saving is a great step towards healthy finances. You can choose to save using traditional savings, high-yield savings, credit unions and others. These accounts take your money further, allowing you to earn interest on your balance.

Loans & Interest

Loans & Interest

Loans are an advancement of money to borrowers, with the borrowers paying back lenders according to agreed upon terms. Terms include charges, fixed or variable* interest rates and repayment schedule.\ \ *Fixed rates never change; variable rates may increase or decrease in time.

Credit & Interest

Credit & Interest

Credit gives you the ability to get goods or services prior to paying for it, with the understanding that you’ll pay the creditor (the owner of your card) back at a later date, often with interest, as determined by the terms of your agreement.

Get Financially Lit

I’m ready to calculate costs Go back to Financial Aid 101

EMAIL ME ABOUT FINANCIAL AID!

Are you an international student or the parent/guardian of one?

Visit International Student Financial Aid

Helpful Links

CALL

713-348-4958

EMAIL

fina@rice.edu

WALK-IN HOURS

M-F 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT