subject: The Eligibility Requirements for the Pell Grant [print this page] The Eligibility Requirements for the Pell Grant
Pell Grants are part of the federal student financial aid program and are need-based grants. The mission of the Pell Grant program is to provide low-income students who otherwise couldn't afford to attend college the financial aid they need to help them earn a college degree. The following are a quick rundown of the major eligibility requirements for the Pell Grant program.
An applicant must be an undergraduate student without a bachelor's degree. The exception is if the student is trying to complete a professional degree, such as pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dentistry, or a teacher certificate program. An applicant can not be incarcerated in any state or federal penal institution. Applicants incarcerated in a local jail are eligible. Halfway homes or home detentions are not considered incarcerated.
An applicant must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) form. This form determines financial need by subtracting Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the Cost of Attending college (CoA). The considerations of the formula used by FAFSA include the student's income, parents' income and assets, the size of the family's household, and the number of family members (not parents) attending post secondary institutions.
Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma, a GED, passed an ability-to-benefit test, or have completed a high school education through a state-approved home school. Applicants must be enrolled at one of the 5,400 qualified post secondary institutions in a program that leads to a degree and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
An applicant must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, citizens of the freely associated states (State of Micronesia, The Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands), or an eligible non-citizen (eligible non-citizens can document they are residing in the U.S. for non-temporary reasons and are intending to become citizens). Applicants must have a valid social security number, except for citizens of the freely associated states, as they will receive an ID number.
Male applicants between 18 and 25 years of age must enrolled with the Selective Service. Applicants must sign the FAFSA stating they will only use Pell Grant funds for educational purposes. Applicants must sign the FAFSA stating that they are not in default of any federal student loans or owe a repayment of any student aid grants.
