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.
The maximum amount of money you can get from a Pell Grant is: $7,395 (2024–25).
For example, for award year 2025-26, the total maximum federal Pell Grant award would be $10,000, and would increase by $1,000 each year until reaching $14,000 for 2029-30. In each subsequent year, the total maximum federal Pell Grant award would be increased to account for inflation.
Pell Grant Lifetime Limits
There is a maximum amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you can receive over your lifetime. You can receive the Pell Grant for no more than 12 terms or the equivalent (roughly six years) or 600%. This is called the Federal Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).
The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2024–25 award year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025). your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.
Under certain circumstances, an eligible student can receive up to 150 percent of their scheduled Pell Grant award for an award year-referred to as “year-round Pell” by attending an additional term (Fall, Spring and Summer) within that award year.
Although there are some broad requirements you must meet to qualify for federal aid, there's no FAFSA income limit.
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.
Independent undergraduates and dependent students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS Loans: $57,500 (including up to $23,000 subsidized). Graduate and professional students: $138,500 (or $224,000 for certain medical training) including undergraduate borrowing (including up to $65,500 subsidized).
While there isn't a strict maximum family income limit for Pell Grant eligibility, the grant is typically awarded to students with financial need, particularly those with an annual family income of $60,000 or below.
Part time students, or those enrolled for less than a full academic year, may receive a reduced award. Pell Grants are need-based awards. Although students with family incomes up to $45,000 may be eligible, most awards go to students with family incomes below $20,000.
Your eligibility for a Pell Grant is based on more than just your (or your family's) income. The federal government will also consider your family size, tax filing status, and the federal poverty guidelines to determine your eligibility for a Pell Grant .
Don't worry, this is a common question for many students. The good news is that the Department of Education doesn't have an official income cutoff to qualify for federal financial aid. So, even if you think your parents' income is too high, it's still worth applying (plus, it's free to apply).
The maximum Pell Grant award for the 2024-25 academic year is $7,395. Some students can qualify for more than $7,395 in Pell Grants each year through Year-Round Pell.
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.
Although $7,395 is the maximum Pell Grant Scheduled Award for the 2024-2025 award year, institutions are reminded that a student may be eligible to receive Pell Grant funds for up to 150 percent of the student's Pell Grant Scheduled Award for an award year.
Despite common misconceptions, there are no income limits for eligibility through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). From 2017-2018 to 2021-2022, the number of applicants for federal student aid in the United States decreased from 18.97 million to 17.53 million.
Can the Pell Grant be used to buy a new car? The Pell Grant can be used for transportation expenses like gas, public transportation, rideshares, and cars, though using the funds in this way may not be considered a qualified education expense.
If your annual award at full time enrollment is $5550 and you received $5550 for the year, then you have received 100% of your award for that year.
For the Pell Grant program, a student is an undergraduate only if the student has not earned or completed the requirements for a bachelor's or professional degree. A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree or a first professional degree cannot receive a Pell Grant.