A Federal Pell Grant is need-based money for undergraduates that usually does not have to be repaid. For the 2026-27 school year, the maximum Pell Grant is $7,395 and the minimum is $740. You apply by filing the FAFSA, and your award depends mainly on your Student Aid Index (SAI), your school’s cost of attendance and how many credits you take. Students with an SAI of 14,790 or higher are not eligible in 2026-27.
Pell is the largest federal grant program for college students, and it can be used at community colleges, public and private four-year schools and many career schools. Several rule changes took effect on July 1, 2026, including a new short-term “Workforce Pell” for job training programs. This guide covers who qualifies, how the dollar amount is figured, and the limits that can cut off your eligibility before you finish a degree.
Who qualifies for a Pell Grant
To receive Pell, a student generally must:
- Be an undergraduate who has not earned a bachelor’s degree or professional degree. (Some students in post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs are an exception.)
- Show financial need on the FAFSA, with an SAI below twice the maximum Pell Grant (below 14,790 for 2026-27).
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, have a valid Social Security number, and meet the other federal aid basics, such as having a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Be enrolled in an eligible program at a school that takes part in federal student aid.
- Keep up satisfactory academic progress, which each school defines with GPA and completion-rate standards.
There is no age limit and no fixed income cutoff. A family’s income, family size, assets for some families, and the number of people in the household all feed into the SAI. Students from lower-income households often qualify for the maximum automatically, based on how their income compares to the federal poverty guideline.
How your Pell amount is calculated
The starting point is simple: the maximum Pell Grant minus your SAI, rounded to the nearest $5. If your SAI is zero or negative, you are eligible for the full $7,395 at full-time enrollment. If the math gives less than $740, you do not get an SAI-based award, although some students qualify for the minimum through other rules.
That figure is then adjusted for your enrollment intensity, which is the share of a full-time load you take. A student in 12 or more credits gets 100% of their scheduled amount. Taking fewer credits reduces it proportionally, as shown below.
| Credits per semester | Enrollment intensity | Award with SAI of 0 | Award with SAI of 3,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 or more | 100% | $3,697.50 per term ($7,395 a year) | $2,197.50 per term ($4,395 a year) |
| 9 | 75% | About $2,773 per term | About $1,648 per term |
| 6 | 50% | About $1,849 per term | About $1,099 per term |
| 3 | 25% | About $924 per term | About $549 per term |
Figures assume a two-semester year. Your school’s financial aid office calculates the exact amount, and cost of attendance can lower the award at very low-cost programs.
Example: Jasmine files the FAFSA and gets an SAI of 2,000. Her full-time Pell award is $7,395 minus $2,000, or $5,395 for the year, about $2,697 per semester. In the spring she drops to 9 credits to work more hours, so her spring Pell becomes 75% of her full-time semester amount, about $2,023. Her school bills her for the difference if the original amount had already been applied to her account.
What changed on July 1, 2026
The 2025 federal budget law, often called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, changed Pell in several ways starting with the 2026-27 award year:
- High-SAI cutoff. Students with an SAI at or above twice the maximum Pell Grant (14,790) are ineligible, even in rare cases where other factors would have produced an award.
- Full-scholarship rule. Students whose non-federal grants and scholarships already cover the full cost of attendance are not eligible for Pell. Schools can reduce their own aid below the cost of attendance to keep a student Pell-eligible.
- Foreign income. Foreign income is now included in the adjusted gross income used for Pell. Some students who received Pell in past years may lose it.
- Workforce Pell. Short job training programs of 150 to 600 clock hours, lasting at least 8 weeks but fewer than 15 weeks, can now qualify if the state approves them and they meet completion and job placement benchmarks. Awards are smaller because they are based on program length.
The maximum for 2027-28 depends on future federal funding decisions. Check your school’s aid office or StudentAid.gov once the amount is announced.
The lifetime limit
You can receive Pell for the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters, tracked as 600% of Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). A full-time year uses 100%. A half-time semester uses 25%. You can see your LEU when you log in to your StudentAid.gov account.
This matters for students who change majors, transfer, take a break and come back, or attend part-time for years. Running out of Pell before your final year can leave a gap of several thousand dollars.
Example: Marcus attended a community college full-time for two years (200% used), then part-time for two more years at half-time (100% used), and then transferred to a university. He has 300% left, which is three full-time years. If his bachelor’s program takes two more years full-time, he will finish with 100% still unused.
Year-round Pell and summer classes
Eligible students can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Pell award in a single award year. That extra money lets you take summer classes and finish sooner. Usually you must be enrolled at least half-time in the additional term. Each school sets how its summer term fits into the award year, so ask the aid office before registering.
When you might have to pay Pell back
Pell is a grant, but repayment can come up in a few situations:
- You withdraw or stop attending before completing 60% of the term. Federal “return of funds” rules then calculate how much aid you did not earn.
- Your enrollment drops after the money is paid, for example from 12 credits to 6.
- You received more than you were eligible for because of an error or a change in your FAFSA information.
- You received Pell at two schools for the same term.
Usually the school returns the money to the government and bills you. If you are thinking about dropping classes, talk to the aid office first and ask what you would owe.
How to apply and keep your Pell
- File the FAFSA for the school year you plan to attend. The 2027-28 form opened in September 2026 and uses 2025 tax information.
- List every college you are considering so each one receives your results.
- Review your FAFSA Submission Summary to see your SAI and any notes about Pell eligibility.
- Respond quickly if your school selects you for verification and asks for documents.
- Accept your aid offer and register for enough credits to receive the amount you were promised.
- Meet your school’s satisfactory academic progress rules each term.
- Refile the FAFSA every year. Pell does not renew automatically.
Some state grants and college grants use the FAFSA too, and their deadlines can be much earlier than the federal one, sometimes in February or March. File as early as you can.
Common questions
How much is the Pell Grant for 2026-27?
The maximum is $7,395 for a full-time student for the full year, and the minimum award is $740. Your actual award depends on your SAI, cost of attendance and enrollment.
What SAI do you need to get a Pell Grant?
Your award is the maximum Pell minus your SAI, so an SAI up to about 6,655 can produce at least the minimum award. Students with an SAI of 14,790 or higher are ineligible in 2026-27.
Can I get a Pell Grant if I am a part-time student?
Yes. Pell is prorated by enrollment intensity, so a student taking 6 credits gets about half of the full-time amount. You can receive Pell even with fewer than 6 credits.
Can I get Pell for a second bachelor’s degree?
Generally, no. Once you earn a bachelor’s degree, you are no longer eligible for Pell, with a narrow exception for some post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs.
Does Pell money go to me or the school?
The school applies Pell to your tuition, fees and, if you agree, room and board. Any amount left over is refunded to you to cover books, transportation and living costs.
Before you count on Pell
- File the FAFSA early and check your SAI on the Submission Summary.
- Look up your Lifetime Eligibility Used if you have attended college before.
- Ask the aid office how dropping or adding classes will change your award.
- If you are considering a short job training program, ask whether it is approved for Workforce Pell.
- Watch state and college grant deadlines, which come before the federal one.
Editorial note: This article is general information, not financial advice. Pell amounts and rules were checked as of November 2026 and can change with federal law; confirm your eligibility with your school’s financial aid office and StudentAid.gov.