AUTHORIZATION:

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5; Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 1, as amended.

OBJECTIVES:

To provide eligible undergraduate postsecondary students who have demonstrated financial need with grant assistance to help meet educational expenses.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Direct Payments for Specified Use Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

The student must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen who has been accepted for enrollment in, and is making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher education. Eligible schools may be public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education, (such as colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools, hospital schools of nursing), and for- profit institutions (proprietary). Eligible males who are at least 18 years or older and born after December 31, 1959, can receive aid only if they have registered with the Selective Service. Graduate students and students who have already earned a bachelor's degree are not eligible for assistance, except those enrolled in an eligible program leading to a professional certification in teaching. Applicants must demonstrate need according to Part F of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Undergraduate students and students pursuing a teaching certificate enrolled as regular students in an eligible program at an eligible institution of higher education and making satisfactory academic progress. The applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens and have a high school diploma, a GED, or demonstrate the ability to benefit from the program offered.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Undergraduate students and students pursuing a teaching certificate that are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens and meet financial need criteria. Students must be: regular students in an eligible program and enrolled in institutions of higher education, making satisfactory academic progress. Incarcerated students, except those incarcerated in local penal facilities, are ineligible. Students must sign a statement of educational purpose, not owe a refund on a Title IV grant, and not be in default on a Title IV loan. Eligible males that are at least 18 years old and born after December 31, 1959, can receive aid only if they have registered with the Selective Service.

Credentials/Documentation:   No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Pre-application Coordination:   Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Student completes a "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" and submits it to the agency specified on the form. Students may apply using a paper application, an electronic application, or via the Internet. The Department of Education calculates the student's financial eligibility for assistance and the agency to which the student sent the application returns a notification to the student of his or her eligibility for assistance. The student submits this notification to the institution of his or her choice in order to have his or her award calculated.

Award Procedure:   Institutions act as disbursing agents for the Department of Education. The institution that the student attends calculates and disburses the Federal Pell Grant, using a payment schedule developed by the Department of Education that determines the amount of the award based on the student's expected family contribution, cost of attendance, and enrollment status.

Deadlines:   Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   

From 15 to 30 days.

Appeals:   

An institution, on the basis of supplemental documentation, may rule that an applicant is self-supporting, even though under the standard criteria, the applicant would normally be considered financially dependent on his or her parents. An institution may adjust on a case-by-case basis a student's data elements used to calculate his or her EFC and cost of attendance due to unusual circumstances documented by the institution.

Renewals:   

Students who have applied in the previous award year may be eligible to complete a paper or electronic renewal application which contains preprinted student data and requires students only to update certain information. However, eligibility is still annually determined.

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ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   

Statutory Formula: Title Title IV, Part F. Matching Requirements: Federal Pell Grant eligibility determinations are based on Part F of the HEA, as amended. This national need analysis formula determines financial eligibility for Federal Pell grants and other Federal student aid and is applied uniformly to all applicants. This formula determines a student's "expected family contribution" (EFC). The fundamental elements of this need analysis formula are the parents' and/or the student's income and assets (excluding home), the family's household size, and the number of family members attending postsecondary institutions. The EFC is determined as the sum of: (1) A percentage assessment of net income (remaining income after subtracting allowances for basic living expenses) and (2) a percentage assessment of net assets, other than a home, (remaining assets after subtracting an asset protection allowance). This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   

Students are currently limited to one Federal Pell Grant during any award year (July 1 through June 30). There is no funding for students to receive a second Federal Pell Grant during a single award year. Funds for one Federal Pell Grant are usually disbursed at least twice during an award year. Students may only receive a Federal Pell Grant until they have received a bachelor's degree. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Institutions will be required to furnish reports, periodically, on the disbursement of funds, as well as to furnish any other reports the Secretary requires. No reports are required of students. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Institutions will be required to furnish reports, periodically, on the disbursement of funds, as well as to furnish any other reports the Secretary requires. No reports are required of students. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. ARRA funds are included in the regular appropriation program compliance under OMB Circular A-133.

Records:   All records pertaining to the eligibility of each Federal Pell Grant recipient and all fiscal management records must be maintained by the institutions for a period of 3 years or until an acceptable audit has been completed, whichever is later. Selected students will have the information on their applications verified.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:  

91-0199-0-1-502; 91-0200-0-1-502.

Obligations:   (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 15 $28,528,650,000; FY 16 est $2,828,605,000; and FY 17 est $29,050,250,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  

For FY 2015, grants ranged from $577-$5,775; the average grant was estimated at $3,720.

For FY 2016, grants will range from $582-$5,815; the average grant is estimated at $3,683.

For FY 2017, grants will range from $593-$5,935; the average grant is estimated at $3,748.

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