Federal Pell Grant

About this scholarship

The Federal Pell Grant is the largest U.S. grant program for undergraduate education, providing need-based aid that generally does not have to be repaid. For the 2026–27 award year, the maximum scheduled award is $7,395. A student’s actual amount depends on FAFSA information, financial need, enrollment intensity, cost of attendance, and the length of the academic year. Some eligible students who attend an additional term, such as summer, may receive as much as 150% of their scheduled annual award through year-round Pell. Funds can be used at eligible community colleges, four-year institutions, online schools, career schools, and trade schools. Applicants complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid; there is no separate Pell application. Federal Student Aid states that the 2026–27 FAFSA must be received by June 30, 2027, but school and state deadlines can be many months earlier and some funds are limited, so applying early is important. Pell eligibility generally applies to undergraduates with financial need who have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree, subject to federal aid rules and limited exceptions. Students reapply through FAFSA every award year and may receive Pell for roughly six years in total.

Eligibility

• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the applicable award year
• Demonstrate financial need under the federal Pell Grant calculation
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible degree or certificate program
• Generally be an undergraduate who has not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree
• Meet the citizenship or eligible noncitizen and other basic federal student-aid requirements
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress under the institution’s federal-aid policy
• Remain within the lifetime Pell Grant eligibility limit
• Meet the earliest applicable school, state, or federal FAFSA deadline