Pell Grant: College grant money you do not repay.
Federal Pell Grant
Need-based federal grant for undergraduate college, up to $7,395 per year that you do not have to pay back.
Reviewed by SubhaVerified
Maximum award
$7,395
Per year, 2026-27 award year
How to apply
FAFSA
The 2027-28 form is open now
Federal deadline
June 30, 2028
For 2027-28; states and schools set earlier dates
Cost to apply
Free
Never pay anyone to file your FAFSA
Figures on this page were last verified October 16, 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm them with U.S. Department of Education: Federal Student Aid before you apply.
What is Pell Grant?
The Federal Pell Grant is the largest need-based grant program for undergraduate college in the United States, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to about 6 million students annually (roughly 32.4 percent of all college enrollees in AY2023-24, per Education Data Initiative).
The maximum award for the 2026-27 award year is $7,395, unchanged since 2023-24, and the minimum is $740, per FSA Dear Colleague Letter GEN-26-01 dated January 30, 2026.
Award amount scales with the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculated from the FAFSA; applicants with an SAI at or above $14,790 are ineligible under a new 2026-27 cap.
Beginning July 2026, the U.S. Department of Education's Workforce Pell Grants Final Rule extends Pell eligibility to short-term 8-to-15 week job-training programs for the first time.
Apply by filing the FAFSA at studentaid.gov, then accept the grant through your school's financial aid portal after the award letter arrives.
The Federal Pell Grant is the largest federal grant program for undergraduate students. Unlike a loan, Pell money is a grant, you do not repay it as long as you remain enrolled and meet the academic-progress requirements your school sets.
Eligibility is based on financial need, calculated from the FAFSA. The 2024-25 award year introduced the Student Aid Index (SAI), which replaced the older Expected Family Contribution (EFC) formula.
Students from households with income at or below 175% of poverty (single parents at 225%) generally qualify for the maximum Pell.
Pell is available for up to 12 semesters (six years, tracked as 600% Lifetime Eligibility Used or LEU) of full-time enrollment. You can use it at thousands of accredited colleges, universities, community colleges, and vocational schools.
Three major changes take effect with the 2026-27 award year. First, the U.S. Department of Education launched Workforce Pell Grants (Final Rule May 18, 2026). They let students use Pell for short-term 8 to 15 week job-training programs that prepare them for in-demand jobs, starting July 1, 2026.
Second, a new upper Student Aid Index cap of $14,790 (twice the maximum award) makes higher-SAI applicants ineligible. Third, students whose non-federal grants and scholarships fully cover their cost of attendance are no longer eligible for Pell.
Which students get a Pell Grant
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (most lawful permanent residents qualify)
- Enrolled or accepted at a Title-IV-eligible school as a regular student in a degree or certificate program (including new short-term Workforce Pell programs starting July 2026)
- Have a valid Social Security Number
- Not have a Bachelor's, graduate, or first professional degree already (exceptions for some teacher-certification programs and, from July 1, 2026, eligible Workforce Pell programs)
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by your school
- Not be in default on any federal student loan
- Demonstrate financial need via FAFSA. For the 2026-27 award year, applicants with a Student Aid Index (SAI) at or above $14,790 (twice the maximum Pell) are ineligible
- Beginning July 1, 2026, students whose non-federal grants and scholarships fully cover their total cost of attendance become ineligible for Pell
Only the agency that runs the program can decide eligibility.
How Pell Grant amounts are set
Maximum award (2026-27 award year)
$7,395/yr
About 6 million undergraduates receive Pell in a typical year (6,032,974 recipients in AY2022-23; total disbursements $27.2 billion that year).
About 32.4% of all US college students received a Pell Grant in AY2023-24 (Federal Student Aid; Education Data Initiative)
What the amount depends on
Full-time undergraduate maximum for the 2026-27 award year (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), unchanged since 2023-24. Minimum award is $740 (10% of the maximum), pro-rated by enrollment intensity.
The average Pell recipient got about $5,300 in AY2023-24 (Education Data Initiative). Award scales with financial need (Student Aid Index from FAFSA) and how many credits you take.
Getting a Pell Grant through the FAFSA
- 01
Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID
Both the student and (for dependent students) at least one parent need an FSA ID at studentaid.gov before starting the FAFSA.
- 02
Complete the FAFSA
The FAFSA is the only way to apply for Pell. The 2027-28 FAFSA is open now, and the federal deadline is June 30, 2028. State and school deadlines are often much earlier, so file as soon as you can.
- 03
Review your FAFSA Submission Summary
Most FAFSA forms are processed right away. Your FAFSA Submission Summary shows what you reported and your Student Aid Index. Correct any errors immediately.
- 04
Wait for your school's financial-aid offer
Each school you list on the FAFSA receives your information and packages your aid, Pell, plus any state grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. Compare offers carefully before deciding where to enroll.
- 05
Accept the Pell on your school's portal
Pell is automatically applied to tuition and fees in most cases; you may receive any remaining balance as a refund check or direct deposit, which you can use for housing, books, and other costs.
Start with the official source
U.S. Department of Education: Federal Student Aid
Pell Grant questions from students
No, with rare exceptions. You must repay Pell only if you withdraw from school early in the term (in which case the school refunds a portion to the government), receive an over-award due to a FAFSA error, or change enrollment status mid-term. Otherwise, Pell is yours to keep.
There is no hard income cutoff. Pell uses the Student Aid Index from the FAFSA, which considers income, household size, number of children in college, and other factors. For 2026-27, though, a Student Aid Index of $14,790 or more rules you out.
The only way to know what you'll receive is to file the FAFSA, which is free. You can try the free Federal Student Aid Estimator at studentaid.gov before you file.
You qualify for the maximum if your parents (or you, if independent) did not file a federal tax return, or if adjusted gross income is at or below 175% of the federal poverty guideline (225% for a single parent). A Student Aid Index of 0 or below also gives the maximum.
The full amount is for full-time enrollment; part-time awards are smaller.
Generally no. Pell is for students who do not yet hold a bachelor's degree. Exceptions exist for some teacher-certification programs and, from July 1, 2026, eligible Workforce Pell programs.
Up to 12 full-time semesters (six academic years), tracked as 600% Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). Each semester counts proportionally: half-time enrollment uses about half a semester of LEU; three-quarter time uses 75%. You can view your current LEU by logging in at StudentAid.gov and opening My Aid.
Workforce Pell Grants let students use Pell funds for short-term (8 to 15 week) job-training and certificate programs that prepare students for in-demand jobs.
The U.S. Department of Education issued the Final Rule on May 18, 2026, with the first Workforce Pell awards available starting July 1, 2026. This is the first time Pell can fund programs as short as 8 to 15 weeks.
No. The 2026-27 award year keeps the maximum Federal Pell Grant fixed at $7,395, unchanged since 2023-24 (FSA Dear Colleague Letter GEN-26-01, January 30, 2026). The Trump administration's FY2027 budget proposal also maintains the $7,395 maximum for the 2027-28 award year.
What did change in 2026 was tighter eligibility, a new $14,790 Student Aid Index cap and the aid-overlap rule, not the dollar amount.
Sources & further reading
- Federal Student Aid: Pell Grant overview (2026-27 award year)
- FSA Dear Colleague Letter GEN-26-01: 2026-27 Federal Pell Grant Maximum and Minimum Award Amounts (Jan 30, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Education: Final Rule Creates Workforce Pell Grant Program (May 18, 2026)
- Federal Student Aid: Calculating Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU / 600% cap)
- FAFSA application portal (2027-28 form now available)
- Federal Student Aid: FAFSA deadlines (2027-28 federal deadline June 30, 2028)
- UNCF: What the 2026 Pell Grant Cuts Mean for You (Dec 23, 2025)
- Education Data Initiative: Pell Grant Statistics 2026 (avg award, disbursements)
Use official sources to confirm current requirements and benefit amounts.
Reviewed by Subha
Every rule and figure here was checked against the sources above on October 16, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial site. We are not a government agency and we do not run this program. See our full disclaimer.
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