There is no set income limit for eligibility to qualify for financial aid through. You'll need to fill out the FAFSA every year to see what you qualify for at your college. It's important to make sure you fill out the FAFSA as quickly as possible once it opens for the following school 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.
Technically, no income is too high for the FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education recommends filling out the FAFSA yearly, regardless of income. However because FAFSA is needs-based aid, those from lower-income families with a greater financial need get access to more financial aid.
What Is the Maximum Income to Qualify for the FAFSA? There is no maximum income you can have for the FAFSA. Whether you're the richest person in the country or have an annual income of $0, you can submit the FAFSA.
For example, if your citizenship status changed because your visa expired or it was revoked, then you would be ineligible.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.
Even if your family makes multiple six figures a year, you can still get financial aid. That said, not financial aid is created equal. Ideally, you want free money, or grants not loans. Despite earning a six-figure household income, many parents struggle to pay for their children's education without going into debt.
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 or your family's wages, salaries, interest, dividends, etc., minus certain deductions from income as reported on a federal income tax return.
You can only qualify as an independent student on the FAFSA if you are at least 24 years of age, married, on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, financially supporting dependent children, an orphan (both parents deceased), a ward of the court, or an emancipated minor.
Assets considered for the FAFSA include: Money, which includes current balances of any cash, savings, and checking accounts.
In fact, over a four-year span, families with annual household income of $200,000 can get a third or more of the cost knocked off an education with a $300,000 list price.
If your parents have an adjusted gross income of more than $350,000 a year, have more than $1 million in reportable net assets, have only one child in college and that child is enrolled at a public college, and they have no issue paying out of pocket, then you may not need to file the FAFSA.
Verification doesn't necessarily check the student's or parent's bank accounts. Rather, the school will ask for documentation to clarify information provided in the form. These documents can include income tax returns, W-2 forms, and 1099 forms.
There is no official income cutoff for federal financial aid, making it worthwhile for families of all incomes to apply. The FAFSA is essential for accessing both need-based and non-need-based aid. Financial aid offices at colleges determine aid amounts based on cost of attendance and Student Aid Index.
There is no income cut-off to qualify for federal student aid. Many factors—such as the size of your family and your year in school—are considered.
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.
FAFSA FAQs
There's no income limit that precludes students from qualifying for student aid, so they should complete the FAFSA, regardless of their family income.
Even some merit-based scholarships offered by colleges and universities require applicants to file the FAFSA. Thus, many college planning experts recommend that students from higher-income households also fill out the FAFSA (or, if your college instructs you, the CSS Financial Aid Profile form).
Although there are some broad requirements you must meet to qualify for federal aid, there's no FAFSA income limit.
You're not making satisfactory academic progress at your school. You've defaulted on an existing federal student loan. You owe a refund on any previous federal grants. You're enrolled in an academic program that makes you ineligible for funding.
Cars, computers, furniture, books, boats, appliances, clothing, and other personal property are not reported as assets on the FAFSA. Home maintenance expenses are also not reported as assets on the FAFSA, since the net worth of the family's principal place of residence is not reported as an asset.
The Pell Grant is indeed a valuable financial aid resource for many college students. 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.