Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a grant designed to assist undergraduate students displaying exceptional financial need, who desire to continue their education beyond high school. Federal Pell Grants are only awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. Each student is entitled to apply for a Federal Pell Grant.

For many students, the Federal Pell Grant provides a “foundation” of financial aid to which other aid may be added to defray the cost of college education. Eligibility is determined by the student’s need, the cost of attendance, and the amount of money appropriated by Congress to fund the program. The amount of the grant is determined by a standard formula used by the Department of Education utilizing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The amount of the grant available to the student will depend on the Student Aid Index (SAI), the cost of attendance, and the Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).

To begin the process each student must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/. Students will need to complete the FSA ID for this step first, if this is the first application at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/sign-in/landing.