Who can receive a Pell Grant

To receive a Pell Grant, you must be a U.S. citizen, national, or may be able to access noncitizen; be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an undergraduate degree or certificate program; and demonstrate financial need. You also cannot have already earned a bachelor's degree or higher. The U.S. Department of Education determines your financial need by looking at your family's income, assets, family size, and the cost of the school you plan to attend.

Noncitizens who are may be able to access include permanent residents (green card holders), refugees, asylees, and certain other visa holders. You will need to provide proof of your immigration status when you complete the Free process for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are unsure whether your visa type qualifies, the school's financial aid office can tell you before you explore.

Key Takeaways

  • You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or may be able to access noncitizen enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certificate program to receive a Pell Grant.
  • Financial need is calculated using information from the FAFSA, which asks about family income, assets, family size, and the cost of your school.
  • You cannot have already earned a bachelor's degree or higher, though you may be able to receive a Pell Grant for a second associate degree under certain conditions.
  • The FAFSA opens October 1 each year, and you should submit it as early as possible because some schools distribute grants on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Your school's financial aid office determines your actual grant amount based on your financial need, enrollment status, and the total Pell Grant funds available that year.

Income and asset limits for Pell Grants

The Pell Grant program does not have a strict income cutoff. Instead, the Department of Education uses a formula that considers your family's income, the number of people in your household, how many family members are in college, and your assets. Families with higher incomes can still receive a Pell Grant if their assets are low and their family size is large, or if multiple children are in school at the same time.

The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC), now called the Student Aid Index (SAI). Your school subtracts this number from the cost of attendance to find your financial need. If the result is positive, you may receive a Pell Grant. The maximum Pell Grant amount changes each year; for the 2024–2025 award year, the maximum is $7,395, though the actual amount you receive depends on your financial need and enrollment status.

What counts as financial need

Financial need is not the same as having no money. It is the difference between what your school costs and what the government calculates your family can contribute. A student whose family earns $60,000 per year might have financial need if they attend an expensive private university, but no financial need if they attend a community college with low tuition.

Your school's cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. The financial aid office estimates these costs for full-time and part-time students. The FAFSA collects information about your family's income and assets, and the Department of Education's formula determines how much your family is expected to contribute toward these costs. The gap between the total cost and the expected family contribution is your financial need.

How to submit the FAFSA

The FAFSA is the form you must complete to be considered for a Pell Grant. You can fill it out online at fafsa.gov starting October 1 each year. You will need a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, which you can create on the same website. Bring your Social Security number, tax information from the previous year, and records of any untaxed income or benefits your family receives.

If you are a dependent student, one parent must also create an FSA ID and sign the FAFSA electronically. If you are an independent student, you sign it yourself. After you submit the FAFSA, the Department of Education sends you a Student Aid Report (SAR) that shows the information you entered and your Student Aid Index. Your school uses this information to calculate your financial need and determine your Pell Grant amount.

Submit the FAFSA as early as possible after October 1. Some schools distribute Pell Grants on a first-come, first-served basis, and submitting early increases your chances of receiving the full amount. Many states also have their own grant programs that use FAFSA information, and those programs often have earlier important date or limited funds.

Enrollment status and Pell Grant amounts

The amount of Pell Grant you receive depends partly on whether you are enrolled full-time or part-time. Full-time enrollment is usually 12 or more credit hours per semester, though your school defines it. Part-time students receive a smaller grant amount proportional to their enrollment. A student taking half the course load of a full-time student will receive approximately half the Pell Grant.

Your enrollment status can change from semester to semester. If you are full-time in the fall but part-time in the spring, your school will adjust your grant amount for each term. You must maintain at least half-time enrollment (usually 6 credit hours) to receive any Pell Grant money. Some schools also have minimum enrollment requirements beyond federal rules, so check with your financial aid office about your school's specific policy.

Degree requirements and Pell Grant limits

You can only receive a Pell Grant for an undergraduate degree or certificate program. Once you have earned a bachelor's degree, you are no longer may be able to access, even if you return to school for another bachelor's or for graduate study. However, you may be able to receive a Pell Grant for a second associate degree if you have not already earned a bachelor's degree and you meet all other requirements.

There is also a lifetime limit on Pell Grant funds. You can receive a Pell Grant for no more than 12 semesters or the equivalent (usually six years of full-time study), though some students may be able to receive an additional half-year of may be able to access under certain circumstances. Your school tracks your Pell Grant history and will tell you if you are approaching this limit.

Maintaining Pell Grant may be able to access

After you receive your first Pell Grant, you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to keep receiving the grant in future years. SAP has three parts: you must earn a minimum grade point average (usually 2.0), complete a minimum percentage of the credits you attempt (usually 67 percent), and make progress toward your degree at a pace that allows you to finish within the lifetime limit.

If you fall below SAP standards, your school will place you on financial aid probation or suspension. You may be able to regain may be able to access by meeting SAP requirements in a future semester, or by completing a plan approved by your school's financial aid office. Different schools have different SAP policies, so ask your financial aid office what the exact requirements are at your school.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to repay a Pell Grant?

No. A Pell Grant is a gift of federal money that does not have to be repaid, unlike a loan. However, if you withdraw from school or drop below half-time enrollment, your school may require you to return part of the grant money you received that semester.

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

There is no income limit for a Pell Grant. Your financial need is calculated using a formula that considers income, family size, assets, and the cost of your school. Families with higher incomes can still have financial need, especially if they have multiple children in college or attend an expensive school.

What happens if I don't submit the FAFSA by a certain date?

The federal important date is June 30 of the year after the school year ends, but your school and state may have earlier important date. If you miss your school's important date, you may not receive a Pell Grant that year. Submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1 to avoid missing important date and to increase your chances of receiving the full grant amount.

Can I receive a Pell Grant if I'm studying part-time?

Yes, but the amount will be smaller than a full-time student receives. Your grant is proportional to your enrollment. You must be enrolled at least half-time to receive any Pell Grant money, and you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to keep receiving it.

What if I change schools during the year?

Your Pell Grant follows you to your new school. Contact the financial aid office at your new school and provide them with your Student Aid Report (SAR) or FAFSA information. Your new school will recalculate your grant based on their cost of attendance and your enrollment status.