The federal Pell Grant is a need based grant for undergraduate students who have not yet completed a baccalaureate or first professional degree and who meet all other federal eligibility requirements. The Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount of the student’s award based upon the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI, beginning with 2024-25), cost of attendance, and enrollment status. Receipt of a Pell Grant does not depend upon the availability of funds; all students who meet the federal eligibility requirements will be awarded the grant.
The amount of the Federal Pell Grant depends in part on the amount that Congress appropriates for the program. The maximum award for a full-time student for 2024-25 is $7,395. It may be possible to also receive a Federal Pell Grant in summer and/or winter; the Financial Aid Office can help you determine if you may be eligible for summer and/or winter funding.
Students who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be automatically considered for the Pell Grant. Pell grant renewal is dependent on the student filing the FAFSA each year and continuing to meet the eligibility requirements.
Maximum Pell Grant Eligibility for Dependents of Certain Deceased Servicemembers and Public Safety Officers
The FAFSA Simplification Act changed eligibility for what were formerly called “Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG)” and “Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Scholarships.” Beginning with the 2024-25 award year, students who meet the eligibility requirements may be eligible to receive a Maximum Pell Grant, even if they are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant based on the Student Aid Index. To qualify you must:
- meet the remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements;
- and have a parent or guardian died in the line of duty while either (a) serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001; or (b) actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer; and
- and are under 33 years old as of January 1 of the year prior to the start of the school year (i.e. January 1, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year).
The grant award is equal to the amount of a maximum Federal Pell Grant for the award year but cannot exceed your cost of attendance for that award year. You will have to complete a FAFSA for each year that you are enrolled. Once you have earned a baccalaureate degree or your first professional degree, or have used up all 12 semesters of your eligibility, you are no longer eligible to receive a Pell Grant. Additionally, you will not be eligible for a Maximum Pell Grant under these special criteria once you turn 33 years old. However, you may still qualify for a Pell Grant under standard eligibility criteria.