• Federal Pell Grant

    A Pell Grant is need-based federal aid for students in post-secondary education. In contrast with student loans, Pell Grants do not have to be repaid except in rare instances.   

Eligibility

  • To be eligible for a Pell Grant, students and their parents must fill out the government's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

    The application, which can be completed online, asks a series of questions about the student's and parents' finances, in addition to other relevant information, such as whether any of the student's siblings will be in college at the same time. Schools that the student applies to will receive an electronic copy of the application.

    Financial aid officers at those schools use FAFSA to determine how much federal aid to offer the student. The school's calculations consider the difference between the expected family contribution (EFC), as calculated by the FAFSA, and that school's cost of attendance (COA) to calculate the student's financial need. (Important: EFC will be renamed the Student Aid Index (SAI) to clarify its meaning for the 2023–24 award year.) EFC does not indicate how much the student must pay the college. It is used to calculate how much student aid the applicant is eligible to receive.  

    • Expected family contribution (EFC) is based on the student's and family's income and assets, such as bank and investment accounts.
    • Cost of attendance (COA) includes the school's tuition and fees, as well as room and board, books, and other expenses. Most schools publish their cost of attendance on their websites and elsewhere.

    To bridge the gap between the EFC and the COA, the school may offer the student a combination of Pell Grants, subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans, and paid work-study jobs. Pell Grants and subsidized loans are intended for students with "exceptional financial need," while unsubsidized loans are available to students and parents regardless of financial need. Colleges typically make these financial aid offers around the same time that they send out their acceptance letters.

     

     

Other Federal Grants for Education

  • While the Pell Grant is the primary subsidy for higher education, the federal government also funds several smaller aid programs.

    Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

    Like Pell Grants, these grants are for students with "extreme financial need" as determined through FAFSA. The awards range from as little as $100 to as much as $4,000 a year. FSEOGs are not available at every school, and the schools that do offer them may have a limited allocation.

    Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants

    These grants are for those planning to teach high-need subjects such as math, science, foreign languages, and special education in low-income areas. They are worth up to $4,000 per year. TEACH grants recipients are required to fulfill service requirements, including at least four years of full-time teaching. If they fail to do so, the grant is converted into a direct federal unsubsidized loan that must be repaid.

    Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants

    These grants are available to students who lost a parent or guardian as a member of the U.S. armed forces serving in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11, and who do not qualify for a Pell Grant. The student must have been under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of the parent’s or guardian’s death. The maximum Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is based on the maximum Pell Grant ($6,495 for 2022–2023), although Congress reduced the amount through the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How Do You Stay Eligible for Pell Grants?

    In order to continue receiving Pell Grants or other federal financial aid, students and their parents must fill out a new FAFSA every year. Students must also show that they are making "satisfactory academic progress" toward their degree or other education goal, such as a certificate. Satisfactory academic progress is defined by the school and may involve maintaining a minimum grade-point average, taking a certain number of credits, or other requirements. Students may lose eligibility for Pell Grants, at least temporarily, if they default on a student loan or are convicted of a drug offense.

    What Happens to Unused Pell Grant Money?

    Generally, your school will first apply the money from your Pell Grant and other aid, such as loans, toward your tuition, fees, and room and board. If there's anything left over in your account after that (often referred to as a "credit balance"), the school is required to pay it to you within 14 days, unless you've authorized the school to apply it toward your future bills. These federal funds are typically disbursed each school term or at least twice a year.

    Do You Have to Pay Back Pell Grants?

    Grants, like scholarships, generally represent money that does not have to be repaid; however, there are circumstances when you might have to repay some or all of your Pell Grant. Those include dropping out of the program of study for which you were awarded the grant, changing your attendance from full-time to part-time, or receiving other scholarships or grants that reduce your eligibility for federal aid. If any of this happens, the school should let you know how much you owe and how to repay it.
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