Federal Grants

Federal Pell Grant

Eligibility is based on Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA. To learn more about the Pell Grant, please visit studentaid.ed.gov.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-74) reduced the maximum time frame during which a student is eligible to receive a Pell Grant from 18 semesters (or equivalent) to 12 semesters (or equivalent) effective with the 2012-2013 award year. Due to the new lifetime limits some students may not want to accept their Pell Grant funds every award year. For instance, the student may believe they will be eligible for a higher Pell award in a subsequent year or they may plan to transfer to a higher-cost school in a future year. As such, the student may request to either decline or return their Pell Grant within the active award year.

Students may decline all or any portion of a Pell Grant award that has not yet been disbursed. In this case, students must provide schools with signed, written statements that they are declining all or some portion of the Pell Grant award and confirming that they understand that the funds may not be available once the award year ends.

Students may return Pell Grant funds in the same award year in which the funds were disbursed. Students must provide schools with signed, written statements confirming that they are returning the grant funds and that they understand that the funds may not be available once the award year ends. Students must return Pell Grant funds directly to the schools.