Understanding Enrollment Status and Financial Aid Eligibility
Your enrollment status, or the number of units you take, significantly determines your eligibility for financial aid. Starting in the 2024-2025 award year, the calculation of Pell Grant eligibility is changing. Instead of using enrollment level categories like "full-time," "three-quarter time," "half-time," and "less-than-half-time," your Pell Grant award will now be determined based on your enrollment intensity, which refers to the percentage of units you are taking. This change will play a significant role in determining your Pell eligibility for financial aid.
What is Enrollment Intensity?
Enrollment intensity is a percentage that represents how many units you are taking compared to a full-time course load. Enrollment intensity is now used to calculate your Pell Grant award, providing a more accurate calculation. The chart below applies to the Federal Pell Grant, while other aids like SEOG will continue to use the Enrollment Level system. See image below:
What is the maximum Federal Pell Grant for the 2024/2025 aid year?
Please keep in mind the following information: The maximum Pell Grant for the 2024/2025 academic year is $7,395, provided that you are enrolled in 12 or more units for both the Fall and Spring semesters, and your Student Aid Index (SAI) falls between -1500 and 0. Any necessary adjustments will be made based on your actual enrollment and SAI. The Student Aid Index (SAI) is calculated by the FAFSA based on your income and household information.
What else has changed with the FAFSA Application?
The FAFSA Simplification Act streamlined the Financial Aid process. To read more about the FAFSA changes
Is there a lifetime limit for receiving the Federal Pell Grant?
Yes, students can receive a Pell Grant for a maximum of six years, which is equal to 12 full-time semesters, including semesters used at other colleges and summer terms. The amount of a scheduled Pell Grant award you can receive each award year is 100% for full-time enrollment, so the six-year equivalent is 600%. You can find more information about Pell Lifetime Eligibility