The Basic Requirements for a Pell Grant

To receive a Pell Grant, you must be a U.S. citizen or may be able to access non-citizen, be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at an accredited school, and demonstrate financial need. The U.S. Department of Education determines financial need by looking at your family's income, assets, family size, and how many family members are in college at the same time. You also cannot have already earned a bachelor's degree — Pell Grants are for first-degree students only.

You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year you want to receive a grant. The FAFSA is how the Department of Education learns about your family's finances and calculates whether you meet the need threshold. Without submitting the FAFSA, you cannot receive a Pell Grant, even if you meet all other requirements.

Your school must be accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. Most colleges and universities are, but some for-profit schools and certificate programs are not. You can check whether a school is accredited on the Department of Education's website or by asking the school's financial aid office directly.

Key Takeaways

  • You must complete the FAFSA each year to be considered for a Pell Grant, and the Department of Education uses it to measure your family's financial need.
  • Pell Grants are only for undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree and are enrolled at an accredited school.
  • Your family's income and assets matter, but so does family size and how many siblings are also in college, which can increase your may be able to access for a larger grant.
  • U.S. citizens and certain may be able to access non-citizens can receive Pell Grants, but undocumented immigrants cannot.
  • The amount you receive depends on your financial need, the cost of attendance at your school, and how much money Congress has appropriated for the program that year.

Citizenship and Immigration Status Requirements

You must be a U.S. citizen or an may be able to access non-citizen to receive a Pell Grant. may be able to access non-citizens include permanent residents (green card holders), refugees, asylees, and people granted deferred action status. You will need to provide proof of your status when you complete the FAFSA.

Undocumented immigrants cannot receive Pell Grants, regardless of how long they have lived in the United States or how much financial need they have. Some states offer their own grant programs for undocumented students, but these are separate from the federal Pell Grant program.

How the FAFSA Determines Your Financial Need

The FAFSA asks about your family's income from the previous tax year, savings, investments, and other assets. It also asks how many people are in your household and how many of them are in college. The Department of Education uses this information to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is the amount your family is expected to pay toward your education.

Your financial need is the difference between the cost of attendance at your school and your EFC. If the cost of attendance is $25,000 and your EFC is $5,000, your financial need is $20,000. The Pell Grant amount cannot exceed your financial need, even if you meet all other requirements.

Family size matters significantly. If you have siblings also in college, your EFC is divided among all the students, which can lower each student's EFC and increase their financial need. Similarly, if your family's income is spread across more people, your individual EFC may be lower.

Income Limits and How They Work

There is no official income cutoff for Pell Grants — even families with higher incomes can receive a grant if they have significant assets, many children in college, or other circumstances that reduce their EFC. However, in practice, most Pell Grant recipients come from families earning less than $60,000 per year, because higher-income families typically have lower financial need.

The FAFSA looks at both income and assets. A family with a moderate income but substantial savings may have a higher EFC than a family with lower income but no savings. The formula also accounts for the number of people in the household and the number in college, which can shift the calculation significantly.

Enrollment Status and School Requirements

You must be enrolled at least half-time in an undergraduate degree program to receive a Pell Grant. Some schools allow full-time students to receive a grant even if they are also working; others have different rules. Check with your school's financial aid office about what counts as half-time enrollment at that institution.

Your school must be accredited by a recognized accrediting body. Accreditation means the school meets certain academic and financial standards set by the Department of Education. If your school loses accreditation, you may lose your Pell Grant may be able to access immediately, even if you are in the middle of a semester.

You cannot receive a Pell Grant if you are pursuing a second bachelor's degree or a graduate degree. The grant is limited to students working toward their first bachelor's degree.

What Disqualifies You From a Pell Grant

You cannot receive a Pell Grant if you have already earned a bachelor's degree, even if you are now pursuing a different field of study. You also cannot receive a grant if you are in default on a federal student loan or owe money back to the federal government from a previous grant or loan.

If you have a drug conviction on your record, you may be ineligible for federal student aid, including Pell Grants. The rules depend on whether the conviction was for possession or sale, and whether it happened while you were receiving federal aid. You can regain may be able to access by completing a drug rehabilitation program or by having the conviction removed from your record.

Failing to make satisfactory academic progress at your school can also disqualify you. Each school sets its own standards for what counts as satisfactory progress, but it typically means maintaining a minimum GPA and completing a certain number of credits each semester.

How the Grant Amount Is Calculated

The Pell Grant amount depends on three things: your financial need, the cost of attendance at your school, and the maximum grant amount set by Congress for that year. The maximum grant amount changes each year based on federal funding. For the 2024–2025 academic year, the maximum is $7,395, but this amount may be different in other years.

If your financial need is $10,000 and the maximum grant is $7,395, you receive $7,395. If your financial need is $5,000, you receive $5,000. The grant never exceeds your financial need, and it never exceeds the maximum amount Congress has set.

The cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, and transportation. Schools with higher costs of attendance do not automatically receive larger grants — the grant is based on your financial need, not the school's price tag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to get a Pell Grant?

No, but you must be a U.S. citizen or an may be able to access non-citizen. may be able to access non-citizens include permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and people with deferred action status. Undocumented immigrants cannot receive Pell Grants, though some states offer their own grant programs for undocumented students.

What if my parents refuse to fill out the FAFSA?

If your parents will not provide their financial information, you may still be able to file the FAFSA as an independent student. You must meet specific criteria, such as being at least 24 years old, married, a veteran, or having dependents. Contact your school's financial aid office to learn whether you may have access to as independent.

Can I get a Pell Grant if I already have a bachelor's degree?

No. Pell Grants are only for students pursuing their first bachelor's degree. If you already have a bachelor's degree, you are not may be able to access, even if you are now studying a different subject or at a different school.

Does my family's income have to be below a certain amount?

There is no official income cutoff. Financial need is based on income, assets, family size, and how many family members are in college. A higher-income family can receive a grant if they have significant expenses or assets that increase their financial need, though most recipients come from lower-income families.

What happens if I don't use my entire Pell Grant?

If your school disburses more than you need, you may receive a refund of the excess amount. Some schools hold refunds until later in the semester; others issue them immediately. Ask your school's financial aid office about its refund policy and timeline.