<p>thumper1, your S was indeed eligible for a subsidized Stafford loan assuming no aid other than the $10,000 scholarship (e.g., no FWS). If the COA they were using to award aid was $42k, if EFC was $22k, and if the only award was $10k … and no outside money, no room discounts (like RA), nada in terms of “other” resources … he was eligible for the sub. If it were today, I would tell you to march right in and demand that sub loan. 
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<p>Here is how the loans work:</p>
<p>Eligibility for subsidized loan: COA-EFC-all other resources (grants, scholarships, room discounts, Perkins loans, FWS, outside scholarships, etc)=eligibility for sub, up to the annual max for year in school ($3500 freshman).</p>
<p>Eligibility for unsubsidized loan: COA-all other resources (grants, scholarships, room discounts, sub loans, Perkins loans, FWS, outside scholarships, etc)=eligibility for unsub, up to the annual max for year in school.</p>
<p>The sub can be less than the annual max; the mix of sub and unsub can total the annual max for year in school ($5,500 freshman). If there is only $2,000 unmet need freshman year, the sub award would be $2,000 and the unsub would be $3,500. If there is no unmet need, the entire $5,500 would be unsub.</p>
<p>I support those who say there is no average income for sub. It depends on COA, EFC, and all other financial resources available to the individual student.</p>
<p>BTW, you could earn a million a year and still be eligible for unsub.</p>
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No, to Harvard their income is not below average. Rather, Harvard offers a much higher threshold for AGI to qualify for aid. Harvard has deep pockets. And offers no merit aid. So they have other ways to provide aid. They still see that income as high. They dont see folks with 6 figure incomes as “dirt poor” or even “below average” . Let that concept go already.</p>