In order to determine whether or not you meet Pell Grant requirements, you must first understand the reason for Pell Grants – these grants were put in place in order to allow students, who might not otherwise afford an education, to attend college.
Obviously this means that the list of Pell grant qualifications and Pell Grant eligibility requirements is quite extensive.
The application is a bit complicated and not everyone who applies for a Pell Grant is going to receive one.
The Most Important Consideration for Eligibility
The single most important detail that will be looked at on your Pell Grant application is the level of financial need you have. You must be able to prove that your income is low enough for you to qualify.
If you have a great need for aid your chances of obtaining a Pell Grant are going to much higher, obviously. Married people and students still living under their parents care will have to furnish information about the finances of either parents or spouse as well in order to be considered for a Pell Grant.
Once all of the financial criteria is met then there are also a few other things that will be looked at during the process of applying for a federal Pell grant.
You can apply for a Pell Grant by visiting http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ and filling out the web form.
Who Determines the Amount of Your Grant?
Usually the financial aid counselor at the educational institution you will be attending will be the one to make the ultimate determination in exactly how much money you will receive.
The cost of tuition for attendance, materials needed and a number of other things will be factored into this decision, provided you have met the other requirements set forth for receiving a Pell grant.
If you can show hardship or that you have recently endured what might be considered abnormal circumstances then there is a good chance the amount you were qualified for could be adjusted.
What Do the Acronyms EFC and CoA Mean?
CoA stands for “Cost of Attendance” and the EFC is the “Expected Family Contribution.”
Because the decision to give you a Pell Grant is dependent upon your showing extreme financial need, the less money your family will have to pay toward your education as compared to the cost of attendance will heavily bear on your need for financing in accordance with the Department of Education.
Your CoA is actually an estimate of the amount of money you are going to need in order to attend college for the entire school year. Once your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has been submitted then the two above factors will be calculated to come up with a number in terms of how much you are eligible for. Again, extenuating circumstances could alter that amount.
The Highest Possible EFC for Approval
Each year there is an EFC cut off established and set forth. For the school years 2010 through 2011 and 2011 through 2012, the amount is currently $5,273. This means that this is the highest amount of money your family can contribute toward your education in order for you to be eligible for a Pell Grant.
For example, if it is determined that your family can contribute $7,000, you cannot be considered for a Pell Grant, In addition, if your family shows a lower amount than the cut off, this significantly increases the chances of you being approved for the Grant.
Also, a higher CoA in combination with a low EFC is another thing that increases the odds of you being approved. Obviously, the lower the EFC and the higher the CoA, the greater your financial need so this certainly makes sense.
There are other requirements that you have to meet in order to be approved for a Pell Grant. For example, you cannot be incarcerated in any state or federal penitentiary; you have to be an undergrad who has not earned a graduate or bachelors’ degree.
Additionally, you have to be a citizen of the US, with a valid social security number – there are some circumstances that might deem a non-citizen eligible but these can be addressed during the application process.
Pell Grants are not very difficult to obtain, provided the student meets the criteria mentioned here.
Unfortunately, there are many students who for various reasons are denied free grants for college each year so there is no guarantee that you will be approved – working hard to understand the requirements beforehand, and meeting the criteria, is your best bet for receiving this type of grant.
By: Bradley Barks
About Brad
Brad is our lead researcher and editor - he enjoys business, meditation, being active and always learning - his goal is to successfully help you research, find, secure, and enjoy grants and scholarships.
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