Who Can Receive a Pell Grant

To receive a Pell Grant, you must be a U.S. citizen or may be able to access noncitizen, enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a school that participates in the federal student aid program, and demonstrate financial need. Financial need means your family's income and assets fall below certain thresholds that the federal government sets each year — the exact cutoff varies by family size and changes annually.

You also cannot already hold a bachelor's degree. If you are working toward a second bachelor's degree, you are not may be able to access. Part-time students can receive Pell Grants, but the amount is smaller than what full-time students receive, and it depends on how many credits you are taking per term.

Some students are ineligible even if they meet the basic requirements. You cannot receive a Pell Grant if you are in default on a federal student loan, if you owe a refund on a federal grant, or if you have been convicted of certain drug-related offenses during a period when you were receiving federal student aid.

Key Takeaways

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or may be able to access noncitizen, enrolled full-time or part-time in an undergraduate program, and show financial need based on your family's income and assets.
  • Your school must participate in the federal student aid program, which you can verify by searching the Federal Student Aid website.
  • You cannot have a bachelor's degree already, be in default on a federal student loan, or owe a refund on a previous federal grant.
  • You must complete the Free process for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year you want to receive a Pell Grant, and your school will calculate your may be able to access based on the information you provide.

Citizenship and Enrollment Requirements

Citizenship status is one of the first things the federal government checks. You must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or a permanent resident (green card holder). Some refugees and asylees also may have access to. If you are not sure whether your immigration status makes you may be able to access, the FAFSA form itself will guide you through the questions that determine this.

Your school must be accredited and participate in the federal student aid program. Most colleges and universities do, but some do not — particularly some online-only schools and vocational programs. You can search the Federal Student Aid website's school finder tool to confirm your school participates before you submit the FAFSA.

You must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student. This means you are working toward an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or certain certificate programs. You cannot receive a Pell Grant if you are taking classes for personal enrichment or if you are auditing courses without earning credit toward a degree.

How Financial Need Is Calculated

The federal government does not look at your family's income alone. Instead, it uses a formula called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which considers your family's income, assets, family size, and how many family members are in college at the same time. The EFC is subtracted from your school's cost of attendance — tuition, fees, room and board, books, and living expenses — to determine your financial need.

If your EFC is very low or zero, you have high financial need and may receive the maximum Pell Grant amount. The maximum amount changes each year; it has ranged from roughly $5,000 to $7,000 in recent years, though this varies. If your EFC is higher, your Pell Grant amount is smaller. If your EFC is higher than your school's cost of attendance, you do not have financial need and are not may be able to access for a Pell Grant.

Your family's assets include savings accounts, investments, and real estate other than your primary home. Your parents' retirement accounts (like 401(k)s and IRAs) are not counted as assets. If your family owns a business or farm, only a portion of its value counts toward assets, depending on the size of the business.

The FAFSA: What You Need to Submit

You must complete the Free process for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for a Pell Grant. The FAFSA opens each year on October 1 and remains open through the following June 30, though some schools have earlier important date. You can submit it online at fafsa.gov at no cost.

To complete the FAFSA, you will need your Social Security number, your driver's license or state ID, and your Federal Student Aid PIN (which you can create on the same website). You will also need tax information from the previous year — your tax return, W-2 forms, or records of untaxed income. If your parents claim you as a dependent, you will need their information too.

The FAFSA asks about your citizenship, your enrollment status, your family's income and assets, and whether you have been convicted of a drug offense while receiving federal aid. Answer all questions honestly. If you make a mistake or your circumstances change after you submit, you can correct your FAFSA at any time before the important date.

What Happens After You Submit the FAFSA

After you submit the FAFSA, the federal government processes it and sends you a Student Aid Report (SAR). This report shows the information you entered and your Expected Family Contribution. Review it carefully to make sure everything is correct. If you see an error, log back into fafsa.gov and make corrections.

Your school receives your FAFSA information and uses it to calculate your financial need and your Pell Grant amount. Your school's financial aid office will send you a financial aid award letter that lists all the aid you are offered, including your Pell Grant. This letter also shows your school's cost of attendance and how much you will need to cover through other means.

You do not need to do anything else to "accept" a Pell Grant — it is automatically disbursed to your school once you are enrolled. Your school applies it to your tuition and fees first, and if money remains, it is either returned to you or applied to other charges like room and board, depending on your school's policy.

Income Limits and Special Circumstances

There is no strict income cutoff for Pell Grants — may be able to access depends on the full EFC formula, not income alone. However, students from families earning over roughly $60,000 per year are less likely to have financial need, depending on family size and how many siblings are in college. Students from families earning under $20,000 per year are much more likely to may have access to.

Some students have circumstances that change their may be able to access. If you are an independent student (not claimed as a dependent by your parents), only your own income and assets are counted. If you are a dependent student but your parents refuse to provide financial information, you may still be able to submit a FAFSA without their information in certain cases — ask your school's financial aid office about this.

If your family's income changes significantly between the year you file taxes and the year you start school, you can ask your school's financial aid office to do a professional judgment review. They can adjust your EFC based on your current circumstances, which may increase your Pell Grant amount.

Maintaining Your Pell Grant Year to Year

You must resubmit the FAFSA every year you want to receive a Pell Grant. Your may be able to access can change if your family's income changes, if you change schools, or if you change your enrollment status from full-time to part-time. You must also remain enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by your school.

Satisfactory academic progress typically means earning a minimum grade point average (usually 2.0) and completing a certain percentage of the credits you attempt each term. If you fall below your school's standards, you lose Pell Grant may be able to access until you bring your grades or completion rate back up. Your school's financial aid office can tell you what its specific standards are.

If you change schools, your Pell Grant follows you — you do not lose it. However, your grant amount may change because different schools have different costs of attendance. A school with higher tuition may allow you to receive more in Pell Grant funds, while a school with lower tuition may result in a smaller grant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to get a Pell Grant?

You must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident. Some refugees and asylees also may have access to. If you are unsure about your status, the FAFSA form will ask questions that determine whether you are may be able to access based on your immigration status.

What if my parents won't give me their financial information for the FAFSA?

If you are claimed as a dependent, you normally need your parents' information. However, if your parents refuse to help, contact your school's financial aid office — they may be able to work with you on a case-by-case basis. Some students in unusual situations can submit a FAFSA without parental information.

Can I get a Pell Grant if I already have a bachelor's degree?

No. Pell Grants are only for students working toward their first bachelor's degree or an associate degree. If you already have a bachelor's degree, you are not may be able to access, even if you are pursuing a second degree in a different field.

What if I owe money on a previous federal student loan?

If you are in default on a federal student loan or owe a refund on a previous federal grant, you are not may be able to access for a Pell Grant until you resolve the debt. Contact the loan servicer or the school that issued the grant to find out how to get out of default or repay what you owe.

How much is the Pell Grant, and does everyone get the same amount?

The maximum Pell Grant amount changes each year and has ranged from about $5,000 to $7,000 in recent years. Your individual grant amount depends on your financial need, your enrollment status (full-time students receive more than part-time), and your school's cost of attendance. Two students with the same family income may receive different amounts if they attend schools with different costs.