How to Apply for Pell Grants Online

Over the years the federally funded Pell Grant program has enabled students in the United States to attend college by providing money for tuition, books, supplies and even some towards the cost of living.

Without financial help many students would be unable to receive higher education and unlike guaranteed student loans, Pell Grants do not need to be repaid. They are quite literally needs based Federal grants.

Pell Grant Background

Named after former United States Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI) who sponsored the bill which was signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, the Pell Grant has helped countless students to attend college who would have otherwise not been able to afford the cost. The amount changes from time to time as do the eligibility requirements, but some aspects remain consistent.

Pell Grants are needs based and the amount you are eligible for is now dependent on the cost of attending school and the student’s financial need.

Although there are other federally funded grants and awards, the Pell Grant is by far the most popular and the grant which most students apply for. The grant is funded through the college/university and funds are distributed per Federal guidelines. Tuition is taken out first and any amount over and above what is due the educational institution is then disbursed to the student.

The government mandates how and when these funds are disbursed to students and this is dependent on whether the school operates on semesters, quarters or annual terms.

The primary focus of the Federal Pell Grant program is to help financially eligible students obtain an undergraduate (baccalaureate) degree but the program does fund certain post baccalaureate students.

As of the last data provided on the government website, there are currently some 5,400 post-secondary educational institutions that participate in the Pell Grant program.

Pell Grants Eligibility

When trying to determine eligibility, the first thing to consider is financial need. Certain income requirements must be met which take into consideration the student’s income as well as the expected family contribution which is referred to as the EFC. Assets and income are assessed according to a strict formula established by the government, which in turn determines whether or not the student is eligible for aid as well as the amount to be awarded.

Eligibility and the amount of the award are also based on the student’s enrollment status as a full or part time student as well as whether or not the student attends a full academic year or a portion thereof. Students seeking to apply for a Pell Grant should be aware that they only need to attend one school and they will not be awarded a Pell Grant from more than one school concurrently.

One other important eligibility requirement is that Pell Grants may only be awarded to those students working on their first bachelor’s degree. As mentioned above, a Pell Grant may also be awarded to some students working on graduate degrees, but never on a second baccalaureate.

Pell Grant Application

There are several ways in which a student can apply for a Federal Pell Grant. Some students apply directly through the financial aid office of the school in which they plan to attend or are currently enrolled.

The form you will be asked to complete is called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can also go directly to the government website to complete the FAFSA online, you can download the file in PDF format and return by mail or you can call and request the form to be mailed to you.

Before requesting or returning an FAFSA be aware of the fact that there are deadlines which need to be met. Each school has a deadline based on their enrollment criterion and there are also state and federal deadlines as well.

These three deadlines are not the same and each school has different definitions as to what their deadline is. Some use the date the FAFSA is filed while others have a deadline of when the FAFSA is processed. Be sure to check with your school.

For example, in the State of Montana the state filing deadline for the school year 2011 – 2012 is March 1, 2011 by 12AM CST. However, the federal deadline for filing is June 30, 2012 CDT and any amendments or corrections must be filed no later than September 15, 2012 at midnight CDT.

These are very important considerations and should be closely observed as there are no exceptions to the rule.

• A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid.
• The maximum Pell grant for the 2011-12 award year (July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012) is $5,550.
• The amount depends on your financial need, costs to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.
• Learn more about Pell grants.
• To apply, complete the FAFSA.

You can also download the deadlines for every state in PDF form as well as a handbook that will tell you everything you need to know about eligibility and filing for a Pell Grant.

FAFSA and FSEOG

One of the benefits of applying for the Pell Grant with the FAFSA is that it may open other doors for you as well. Since the Pell Grant is needs based, certain low income or no income students may also be eligible for other types of Federal Financial Aid. One of those programs is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG).

The FSEOG is meant for students in undergraduate programs who have exceptional (extreme) financial needs. This is offered to recipients of Pell Grants and those who have the lowest EFCs (expected family contributions) will be the first to be considered.

FSEOGs, like Pell Grants, are Federal grants which do not need to be repaid. FSEOGs range anywhere from $100 to $4,000 per year and this is based on when you apply as well as need. When applying for Federal Pell Grants, keep this in mind.

You may qualify for other Federal and state grants as well and not all of them will be needs based. Some grants are based on academics while others, like the Pell Grant, are based on need. However, the first thing you need to do is apply for financial aid by completing and submitting the Free Application for Financial Student Aid.

If you are eligible for other grants your school’s financial aid department should discuss this with you. Even so, the first step is always to apply for the Pell Grant by completing and submitting the FAFSA before the deadlines outlined above.