Federal Pell Grants

The Federal Pell program provides assistance in the form of a grant to undergraduate students. Federal Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who are pursuing their first bachelor's degree. For many students, Pell Grants provide the foundation of financial aid to which other aid may be added. Federal Pell Grants may be used to pay tuition, or, if tuition is covered by other means, to help students purchase books and supplies or pay for transportation costs.

To determine a student's eligibility, the U.S. Department of Education uses a standard formula to evaluate the information reported on the FAFSA. This formula produces a Student Aid Index (SAI) number. The Student Aid Report (SAR) will contain this number and will inform students whether they may be eligible for Pell. Students can only receive one Pell Grant per award year, from one college at a time. How much Pell is received depends on the student's SAI, their cost of attendance and whether the student attends school for a full academic year or less. Other determining factors are listed below.

Application Form

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA is the application used to apply for federal government grants and student loans.

Residency and Citizenship

To apply for federal student aid, students must be United States citizens or eligible non-citizens. Learn More

Additional Information Regarding Pell Eligibility

  • Students must be accepted to a degree seeking eligible program
  • The Pell Grant can be awarded for enrollment in as little as one equated credit
  • Students can receive Pell Grants for up to 12 full-time semesters, or the equivalent Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU)
  • The Pell Grant is only awarded to students pursuing an undergraduate degree
  • Students may not be in default on any prior federal student loans or owe the federal government a refund of financial aid previously received
  • Students and their parents must be willing to verify the information provided on the FAFSA
  • Your Pell Grant is determined based on your Enrollment Intensity as of the 7th day of the term. Enrollment Intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled, rounded to the nearest whole percent.
    Enrolled Credits Enrollment Status Enrollment Intensity
    12 (or more) Full-Time 100%
    11 Three-Quarter Time 92%
    10 Three-Quarter Time 83%
    9 Three-Quarter Time 75%
    8 Half-Time 67%
    7 Half-Time 58%
    6 Half-Time 50%
    5 Less Than Half-Time 42%
    4 Less Than Half-Time 33%
    3 Less Than Half-Time 25%
    2 Less Than Half-Time 17%
    1 Less Than Half-Time 8%

Award Amounts

For the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the Pell Grant ranges from $740 to as much as $7395, depending on family income and other financial factors. Eligible students may receive the Pell Grant as a part-time or full-time student. The amount of Pell received as a part-time student may vary due to enrollment status.

Maximum Time Frame

Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU)

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited by a new federal law, to be the equivalent of 6 years of Pell Grant funding. The Department of Education keeps track of students' LEU by adding together the percentages of Pell Grants students received for each award year.

How can I see my LEU percentage?

Log in to StudentAid.gov with your username and password, then navigate to “My Aid” to view your LEU.