How many semesters can i receive pell

What you receive will be impacted by the cost of your school's tuition, your Expected Family Contribution EFC , and whether or not you'll be attending school full- or part-time. Keep in mind, you may qualify for different amounts in different years if there is a fluctuation in your family's financial situation, or if the amount of the Pell Grant changes which can happen any year. Another big factor: the timeliness of your application.

Pell Grant money is given directly to more than 5, participating institutions, and each school distributes its share first to applicants who demonstrate need, based on FAFSA information. If you wait too long to apply, you run the risk of encountering an empty well. Don't delay. The award year begins July 1.

Consequently, your Pell lifetime eligibility is limited by how long you're enrolled , not how much you receive. Because even though Pell Grants are awarded by year, they are usually divided into two semesters—so you get half of your award before the fall semester and half before the spring.

See also: What Is a Pell Grant? Published in: Grants. Mike is responsible for the editorial and marketing direction of Nitro. He has a history of helping people through his educational background—first as a teacher at the Pennsylvania State University and then through 15 years of development and marketing of education programs.

Read more by Mike Brown. View Disclosure. See Examples. Disclaimer: The information obtained throughout the Nitro site is intended to be used for educational purposes only. All product names, logos, and other trademarks displayed within the Nitro site are the property of their respective owners. The U. Department of Education distributes grant money directly to the schools, which is then disbursed to students who demonstrate financial need.

The lifetime maximum is based on years, not dollars. The percentage regulation was imposed to encourage graduation and reduce federal expenditures. You can hit the lifetime limit in exactly six years if you attend school full time for fall and spring semesters each year for up to six years. You could also hit your Pell Grant lifetime limit sooner than that or in more than six years, depending on factors including your enrollment status.

If you complete your degree in less than six years, you won't be eligible for Pell Grants if you return to school for an additional undergraduate degree. Both coronavirus relief packages called to waive lifetime limits on Pell Grants for those who withdraw from school due to the COVID pandemic.

Attending school part time or not enrolling for a full year could lower the amount of Pell Grant aid you receive. The federal government measures this in the following manner: If a Pell Grant is disbursed in a semester: Credits Attempted Lifetime Eligibility Used Full-time enrollment 12 credits or more If you enrolled part-time fall or spring, there is no minimum credit requirement to receive a summer Pell Grant.

You can use the remainder of your annual Pell Grant amount during summer with no minimum credit requirement. I can take only one class or fewer than six credits this summer, can I still receive a Pell Award? Why must I take 6 credits during the summer in order to qualify for the additional amount of Pell? This is a federal minimum requirement.

Can I take 6 credits from two different summer sessions in order to be considered half-time? Will summer Pell affect my Pell Grant or future eligibility? What happens if I drop or withdraw from my classes in the summer while receiving Pell?