Your particular need-based package will be determined by your demonstrated financial need, the costs associated with your region, and how much you have already been offered in your baseline stipend and, where applicable, your automatic need-based grant. All corps members who apply to Need-Based Financial Support are offered at least a $1,000 loan.

Corps members who demonstrate greater financial need when they apply and/or who are joining a more expensive region are more likely to receive a larger loan and possibly a need-based grant. For example, let's imagine two applicants with the exact same financial need. One applicant is assigned to Hawai'i, which is a region that is more expensive to relocate to. This applicant would receive a larger amount than one assigned to Houston, a lower-cost region. However, if the Hawai'i corps member also received the automatic need-based grant that the Houston corps member did not, then the Houston corps member may still receive a larger need-based package when they apply.