Federal Pell Grant Program (Title IV)
The purpose of the Federal Pell Grant Program is to provide eligible students with a foundation of financial aid to help defray the cost of post-secondary education. The Federal Pell Grant award could range from $606 to $5,920 per academic year, depending on students’ cost of education and if students attend college for a full academic year on a full-time basis. Part-time students may be eligible.
The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited by federal law to the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding. Since the maximum amount of Pell Grant funding a student can receive each year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%.
Year Round Pell
Beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year, an eligible student may now receive full Federal Pell Grant for a summer term even if they received a full Federal Pell Grant during the fall and spring semesters. Year-round Pell allows students to receive up to 150 percent of a regular grant award over the course of the academic year so that they can continue taking classes in the summer and finish their degrees faster than they would otherwise.
With careful planning, Pell Grant recipients may take advantage of this new regulation to earn their degree faster. However, students should keep in mind that the summer term is shorter (8 Weeks) than fall and spring semesters (16 weeks). Students should consult with their academic advisor to develop a manageable course load for the shorter summer term. Just because students may be eligible for full-time Pell Grant funds DOES NOT mean students are required to carry a full-time load.
Note: The provisions of the new law state that any Pell Grant received will be included in determining the student's Pell Grant duration of eligibility and Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). To be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds:
- student must be otherwise eligible to receive Pell Grant funds for the payment period
- student must be enrolled at least half-time in the payment period(s) (6 credit hours) during the summer term
- student must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress