Pell Grants are federal grants and Cal Grants are state grants. Both are for students with financial need. Some Cal Grants have a minimum GPA requirement while federal Pell Grants do not. You could qualify for both a Pell Grant and a Cal Grant.
Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or eligible noncitizen. Have a valid Social Security Number. Have a high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) certificate OR demonstrate “ability to benefit” by passing an approved test. Meet satisfactory academic progress.
A Pell Grant is a type of federal student aid given to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. Unlike a student loan, Pell Grants usually do not have to be paid back.
FAFSA itself isn't "money," but it's the form students and families complete to apply for federal financial aid. Completing the FAFSA is free and can lead to you being awarded several types of financial aid, some of which are free, while others are not.
This is often called “year-round Pell.” For example, if you were awarded a $3,000 Pell Grant, you'd likely receive $1,500 in both your fall and spring semesters. But you may qualify for another Pell Grant of up to $1,500 if you enroll at least half time during the summer semester.
Federal student aid programs generally cover 40–50% of tuition. Many GIA on-campus students borrow additional funds through either the Parent Loan Program (PLUS) if they are dependents, or through private alternative loans if they are not dependents.
There's no official income cutoff to qualify for federal student aid. Yes, your family's annual income influences your aid package, but other factors, such as family size and year in school, also help determine your level of aid. Ultimately, submitting a FAFSA is relatively easy and 100% free.
Eligibility for Pell Grants
For the 2024-2025 FAFSA, a family of four living in the 48 contiguous states making up to $52,500 in AGI qualified for the Maximum Pell Grant.
Once you have earned a baccalaureate degree or your first professional degree or have used up all 12 terms of your eligibility, you are no longer eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant. Learn more about staying eligible for federal student aid while you're in school.
The Pell Grant can theoretically be used to pay for any expense. However, using these funds on expenses that aren't considered “qualified education expenses” may make the money subject to taxation.
Put simply, the greater your family's financial need is, the greater the likelihood that you'll be awarded the grant. There's more to determining financial need than just looking at how much your parents make, however; your family's expenses are also taken into account. Lower income + more expenses = greater need.
The FAFSA is your application for federal financial aid. Some types of aid you receive through the FAFSA, like grants or scholarships, do not need to be repaid. However, federal student loans received through your FAFSA do have to be repaid with interest after you graduate or leave school.
You can log in to StudentAid.gov to see if you received a Pell Grant. We display information about the aid you received, including Pell Grants, on your account Dashboard and My Aid page. This information can be delayed. Reach out to your school's financial aid office if your information is outdated.
There are a few reasons for this, the most common of which are that you are not enrolled for the full year or that you are not enrolled full-time, or both. We calculate the percentage of the scheduled award that you did receive.
What income is too high for FAFSA? There is no income that is too high to file a FAFSA. No matter how much you make, you can always submit a FAFSA. Eligibility for need-based financial aid increases as the cost of attendance increases, so even a wealthy student might qualify for financial aid at a higher-cost college.
For example, if your citizenship status changed because your visa expired or it was revoked, then you would be ineligible. Other reasons for financial aid disqualification include: Not maintaining satisfactory progress at your college or degree program. Not filling out the FAFSA each year you are enrolled in school.
A common myth is that students from high-income families won't qualify for FAFSA funding. In reality, there's no maximum income cap that determines your eligibility for aid. Although your earnings are a factor on the FAFSA, only some programs are based on need.
$57,500 for undergraduates-No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $138,500 for graduate or professional students-No more than $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. The graduate aggregate limit includes all federal loans received for undergraduate study.
This can happen. The FAFSA relies on two-year-old tax information. Or your family may be facing big expenses that the FAFSA didn't ask about. If your financial aid offer seems way off, contact the college's financial aid office.
Federal student aid from the Department of Education covers such expenses as tuition and fees, housing and food, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid can also help pay for other related expenses, such as a computer and dependent care.
There is no specific income limit to qualify for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Both students and their parents often think their household income makes them ineligible for financial aid. However, the U.S. Department of Education does not have an income cap for federal financial aid.
In year 2022-23, the average amount of Pell grants for undergraduate students was $4,875. This is based on 5,423 institutions.
If you're eligible to receive this grant, your college or university will probably use it to cover whatever you owe, such as fees or the cost of room and board. If there's anything left over, you can receive it in the form of cash or a check. You may also be able to deposit the money directly into your bank account.