How to get a Pell Grant

To get a Pell Grant, you complete the Free process for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which the U.S. Department of Education uses to determine whether you meet the income and enrollment requirements. The FAFSA opens October 1 each year for the following academic year. You submit it online at fafsa.gov, and the Department of Education sends your results to the schools you list. Your school's financial aid office then tells you whether you received a Pell Grant and how much.

The process takes about three to five business days after you submit the FAFSA, though some schools process their own documents afterward. You do not explore directly to the Department of Education for a Pell Grant — you explore through FAFSA, and the grant information happens automatically based on your answers.

Key Takeaways

  • You must complete the FAFSA at fafsa.gov between October 1 and the federal important date (usually June 30) to be considered for a Pell Grant in that academic year.
  • The FAFSA asks about your income, family size, and assets; the Department of Education calculates your Expected Family Contribution and determines your Pell Grant amount based on that number and your school's cost of attendance.
  • Your school's financial aid office receives your FAFSA results and notifies you of your Pell Grant award in writing, usually by email or through your student portal.
  • Pell Grant money goes to your school first to cover tuition and fees; any remaining balance is paid to you, usually by check or direct deposit.
  • You must be enrolled at least half-time (typically six credit hours per semester) at a school that participates in the federal student aid program to receive a Pell Grant.

What you need before you start the FAFSA

Gather your Social Security number, date of birth, and driver's license or state ID number. You will also need your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, which is a username and password you create at studentaid.gov. If you do not have one, create it before you fill out the FAFSA — it takes five minutes and you need it to sign in.

Have your most recent tax return available, either your own or your parents' if you are a dependent student. The FAFSA now uses the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which pulls your tax information directly from the IRS, so you do not have to type numbers manually. If you cannot access your tax return or prefer not to use the tool, you can enter the numbers yourself, but the tool is faster and more accurate.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need your Alien Registration Number (also called an A-number). This appears on your green card or other immigration documents. Non-citizens with certain visa types cannot receive a Pell Grant, so check the FAFSA instructions for your visa category before you begin.

The FAFSA form: what each section asks

The FAFSA has five main sections. The first asks for your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and contact information. The second asks whether you are a dependent or independent student — this determines whose income and assets count toward your Expected Family Contribution. Most students under 24 are considered dependent unless they are married, have children, or are in the military.

The third section asks about your income and your parents' income if you are dependent. You will enter adjusted gross income from your tax return, untaxed income (like certain benefits), and cash savings. The fourth section asks about your school plans: which schools you want to attend, whether you will be full-time or part-time, and what degree you are pursuing. The fifth section asks whether you are a U.S. citizen and whether you have ever been convicted of a drug offense.

After you submit, the Department of Education calculates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), now called the Student Aid Index (SAI). Your school subtracts this number from the cost of attendance to determine your Pell Grant amount. The maximum Pell Grant for the 2024–2025 academic year is $7,395, but your actual amount depends on your SAI, your school's cost, and whether you are enrolled full-time or part-time.

When to submit and what happens next

The FAFSA opens October 1 each year. You can submit it anytime between October 1 and June 30 of the following year, though some states and schools have earlier important date. Submitting in October or November gives your school more time to process your aid before the academic year starts in August or September. If you submit after your school's important date, you may still receive a Pell Grant, but your school may have already distributed other aid.

After you submit the FAFSA, the Department of Education sends your results to every school you listed. Your school's financial aid office receives this information and uses it to build your financial aid package. They will send you an award letter by email or through your student portal, usually within two to four weeks. The letter shows your Pell Grant amount, any other aid you received, and how much you still owe.

Once you accept the Pell Grant (usually by clicking a button in your student portal or signing and returning a paper form), your school applies it to your tuition and fees. If money remains after tuition is paid, your school sends it to you by check or direct deposit. This typically happens a few days before classes begin, though timing varies by school.

Income limits and other requirements

There is no strict income cutoff for a Pell Grant. Instead, the Department of Education uses a formula based on your income, family size, number of family members in college, and assets. Families earning $60,000 per year may receive a Pell Grant, and families earning $200,000 may not, depending on family size and other factors. The only way to know whether you may have access to is to complete the FAFSA.

You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or may be able to access non-citizen to receive a Pell Grant. may be able to access non-citizens include permanent residents (green card holders) and certain visa holders. Undocumented immigrants cannot receive a Pell Grant, though some states offer state-funded aid to undocumented students.

You must be enrolled at least half-time at a school that participates in the federal student aid program. Most colleges and universities participate, but some trade schools and online programs do not. Your school's financial aid office can confirm whether it participates. You also cannot have a drug conviction on your record during the time you were receiving federal student aid; if you do, you may be ineligible.

What to do if you do not receive a Pell Grant

If your FAFSA results show you do not may have access to for a Pell Grant, your school's financial aid office may still offer you other aid: federal loans, work-study, or institutional grants from the school itself. Your award letter will list all aid you are offered, not just the Pell Grant.

If you believe your FAFSA results are wrong — for example, if your income changed significantly after you submitted it, or if you made a data entry error — you can request a correction. Contact your school's financial aid office and ask them to help you file a FAFSA correction. You will need to explain the error and provide documentation (like a new tax return or a corrected W-2). The Department of Education will recalculate your aid once the correction is processed.

If your income dropped during the academic year due to job loss or other hardship, some schools offer a professional judgment review. This is a separate process where your financial aid office can adjust your aid based on your current situation, not just your tax return. Ask your financial aid office whether they offer this option.

Pell Grant rules you need to know

A Pell Grant is information programs — you do not have to repay it. However, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress to keep receiving it each year. Satisfactory progress usually means passing most of your classes and making progress toward your degree. If you fail too many classes or fall behind on credits, your school may suspend your Pell Grant until you improve.

You can receive a Pell Grant for up to 12 semesters (six years) of undergraduate study, though this limit may be extended if you are pursuing a five-year degree. If you have already received a Pell Grant for 12 semesters, you cannot receive another one, even if you change schools or majors.

If you withdraw from school after your Pell Grant has been disbursed, your school may ask you to return part of it. Federal law requires schools to recalculate how much aid you earned based on how long you attended. If you attended less than 60 percent of the semester, you may owe back a portion of your grant. Your school's financial aid office will calculate this and let you know what you owe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a Pell Grant if my parents make too much money?

There is no income threshold that automatically disqualifies you. The Department of Education uses a formula that considers your family size, number of family members in college, and assets, not just income. Families earning over $100,000 per year have received Pell Grants in some cases. The only way to know is to complete the FAFSA.

What if I submitted the FAFSA but missed my school's important date?

You can still receive a Pell Grant, but your school may have already distributed other aid or filled its aid budget. Contact your school's financial aid office when ready and ask them to process your FAFSA results. You may receive your Pell Grant later in the semester or as a credit toward next year's tuition.

Do I have to use my Pell Grant at the school where I was admitted?

No. Your Pell Grant follows you to any school that participates in the federal student aid program. If you transfer schools, notify your new school's financial aid office and they will explore your Pell Grant to your account there. The amount may change if your new school has a different cost of attendance.

What happens to my Pell Grant if I take a semester off?

You do not receive a Pell Grant for semesters when you are not enrolled. If you plan to return, you will need to complete a new FAFSA for the academic year you return. Your may be able to access and grant amount may change based on your updated income and family situation.

Can I use my Pell Grant for living expenses or just tuition?

Your school applies your Pell Grant to tuition and fees first. Any remaining balance is paid to you and can be used for any education-related expense: books, housing, food, or transportation. How you spend the remaining balance is your choice.