Federal Pell Grant Basics
learn how to apply and what makes you qualify
The Pell Grant is free federal money for college—no repayment needed.
It is the most widely offered grant program offered by the U.S. government. Eligibility is based on factors like your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), household size, federal poverty guidelines, and Student Aid Index (SAI). Typically, eligibility is the same regardless of the college you attend.
Apply by submitting the FAFSA each year you plan to attend school.
Go to studentaid.gov/fafsa to start your application. If you qualify, Millersville will be notified when we receive your application, and you’ll be offered an award based on anticipated full-time enrollment.
💡 The Pell Grant adjusts per half credit of enrollment. So if you were offered a full-time award but are taking less than full-time credits, your grant will pay at a lesser amount for that semester.
Need help applying? Check out our step-by-step FAFSA instructions.
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Basic Pell Grant Eligibility Requirements
Federal Pell Grants, like most grant programs, are limited to undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree. Once you have a bachelor's degree or are classified as a graduate student, you can no longer be considered for a Pell Grant.
General Eligibility:
To be considered for a Pell Grant, students must:
- be enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate program.
- complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- complete any supplemental requirements needed by the school.
- complete financial aid Terms & Conditions each academic year.
- meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards at the end of each academic year.
- not be in default on student loans.
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how Pell Grant eligibility is determined
Disclaimer: Pell eligibility for 2023-2024 and earlier was based on a student's Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and a chart issued by the Department of Education.
FAFSA simplification and the 2024-25 FAFSA have ushered in a new way to determine Pell Grant eligibility. Now, families can predict some eligibility before completing the FAFSA and full eligibility through FAFSA completion. The Pell Grant is designated for high-need students, and some students will not be eligible for Pell after completing each evaluation.
🔍 3 Types of Pell Grant Eligibility Calculations
Students will be assessed using three methods. If eligible under multiple categories, they'll receive the highest award available:
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Maximum Pell
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Calculated Pell
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Minimum Pell
🧮 Maximum and Minimum Pell Eligibility
These are based on your family’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and household size, compared against the federal poverty guidelines from the same tax year reported on your FAFSA.
Maximum and Minimum Federal Pell Grant Determination Student Type Max Pell Limit Min Pell Limit Dependent student with single-parent 225% of poverty guideline 325% of poverty guideline Dependent student with a non-single parent 175% of poverty guideline 275% of poverty guideline Independent student who is not a parent 225% of poverty guideline 275% of poverty guideline Independent student who is a single-parent 175% of poverty guideline 400% of poverty guideline Independent student who is a non-single parent 175% of poverty guideline 350% of poverty guideline 📌 For 2024–25 FAFSA: 2022 poverty guidelines used.
📌 For 2025–26 FAFSA: 2023 poverty guidelines used.
📌 For 2026–27 FAFSA: 2024 poverty guidelines used.Health and Human Services poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and DC* Household Size 2022 Poverty Guideline 2023 Poverty Guideline 2024 Poverty Guideline (Projected) 1 $13,590 $14,580 To be announced 2 $18,310 $19,720 To be announced 3 $23,030 $24,860 To be announced 4 $27,750 $30,000 To be announced 5 $32,470 $35,140 To be announced 6 $37,190 $40,280 To be announced 7 $41,910 $45,420 To be announced 8 $46,630 $50,560 To be announced 📌 2022: For households with more than 8 persons, add $4,720 for each additional person.
📌 2023: For households with more than 8 persons, add $5,140 for each additional person.
📌 2024: To be announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.* Poverty guidelines are slightly higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.
For the most current and detailed information, please refer to the official publications by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
🔢 Calculated Pell Eligibility
If you don’t meet the Maximum or Minimum thresholds, you may still qualify based on a calculated formula:
$7395 - SAI = Pell Grant ✅ If your SAI is negative, use $0 for the calculation.
✅ Minimum Pell Award is 10% of the maximum. -
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Award Amounts & Enrollment Intensity
Full-Time Pell Awards:
- Maximum Pell Grant = $7,395
- Minimum Pell Grant = $740 (10% of Maximum Pell; rounded to the nearest $5)
- Calculated Pell Grant = $7,395 minus the student's SAI
Less-Than- Full-Time Pell Awards:
Students attending less than full-time (12+ credits) for any semester will have their Pell adjusted to reflect their enrollment intensity.
- Enrollment intensity is measured in credit hours as a percentage of 12 hours for full-time: 100% at 12+ hours, 92% at 11, 83% at 10, 75% at 9; 67% at 8, 58% at 7, 50% at 6, 42% at 5, 33% at 4, 25% at 3, 17% at 2, and 8% at 1. This percentage is then calculated against the Pell term/semester amount.
✅ 150% year round pell:
The Federal Pell Grant is one of the few financial aid programs that can cover summer courses without reducing your fall and spring awards. Thanks to the U.S. Department of Education Appropriations Act of 2017, eligible students can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Pell Grant in a single academic year.
⚠️ Disclaimers:
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Enrollment Changes: Pell Grant amounts may adjust with adds or drops if you’re enrolled less than full-time—up until funds are disbursed to your school.
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Non-Attendance Reported: If you’re reported as not attending any course(s) after funds are paid, your Pell Grant may be recalculated.
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Withdrawals: Students who withdraw from all courses (officially or unofficially) may be required to repay a portion of their aid, depending on the timing of the final course drop.
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Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility
⏳ pell lifetime eligibility used (LEU)
You can receive the Federal Pell Grant for up to 12 full-time semesters, or roughly six academic years (600% of your lifetime eligibility). Once you reach this limit, you are no longer eligible to receive Pell Grant funding—even if you haven’t completed your degree. Click here for more information.
⚠️ what you need to know
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If your LEU reaches or exceeds 600%, you will no longer be eligible for the Pell Grant.
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If your LEU is between 500% and 599%, you can still receive Pell for the upcoming year—but not a full scheduled award.
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If you use Pell Grant funds during summer terms or extend your academic career (e.g., multiple major changes or academic appeals), it can cause you to hit the limit sooner than expected.
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The 6-year limit is final—there is no appeal process, even if you haven’t earned your degree.
📬 You’ll receive a notification from the Department of Education if you’re approaching your LEU limit.
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Contact Info
Lyle Hall, 2nd Floor, Room 241
Office Hours:
Call Center Hours:
Standard: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (mid-August to mid-May) Summer: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (mid-May to mid-August)
Available by Phone: Mon.-Fri. 8:00am to 6:00pm
Phone: 717-871-5100
Fax: 717-871-7980
Email: fa.mail@millersville.eduUSPS Mailing Address:
Office of Financial Aid
Millersville University
P.O. Box 1002
Millersville, PA 17551-0302Address for UPS/FedEx:
Office of Financial Aid
Lyle Hall, 2nd Floor
40 Dilworth Rd
Millersville, PA 17551-0302