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A Federal Pell Grant does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. (A professional degree is typically earned after earning a bachelor's degree in a field such as medicine, law, or dentistry.) In some cases, you may receive a Pell Grant for attending a post baccalaureate teacher certification program. For many students, Pell Grants provide a foundation of student financial aid to which other aid may be added.
To determine if you're eligible, the U.S. Department of Education uses a standard formula to evaluate the information you report when you apply. The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number. Your electronic Student Aid Report (eSAR) contains this number and will tell the Financial Aid Office if you are eligible. The Financial Aid Office will begin the awarding, packaging, and verification process. You will receive an email notification to your student email address regarding the process of your file and awards.
How much you get will depend not only on your EFC but also on the Cost Of Attendance (COA), enrollment status, and whether you attend for a full academic year or less. You may not receive Pell Grant funds from more than one college at a time.
Once your file has been reviewed, the Financial Aid Office will send an e-mail to your student email detailing the information that you will need to check your financial aid account award letter notifying you as to whether you are eligible for a Pell Grant. If you are eligible, the award letter will tell you how much you may receive.
Don't drop all of your classes before checking with the Financial Aid Office. If you do drop your classes you may be responsible for paying a portion of your student financial aid back to the federal government. To avoid this situation, please contact your college's Financial Aid Office before your withdraw.
Title IV Funds include the following:
NOTE: To decline Pell Grant funds, a student must deliver to the school a signed, written statement clearly indicating that the student is declining Pell Grant funds for which he or she is otherwise eligible and that the student understands that those funds may not be available once the award year is over.
