Millions of students apply for federal Pell grant program each year to afford higher education

Most of the students feel a shortage of money to meet their educational and other related expenses. Instead of taking an educational loan, a better option would be to seek grants offered by federal and state governments. Federal Pell grant is one of the most popular grants which is applied for and secured by millions of US and international students each year. The best thing about the grant is that it is not required to be repaid, because it is not a loan. Federal Pell grant program provides need-based student aid, and the free money can be used by the applicant to cover tuition, books, room and board, transportation, and more.   

The award is named after Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell, who worked with the education policy expert Lois Rice in 1972 to develop an award for higher education. The application begins with filling up the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form through the school or college they are enrolled in. The form can be submitted online, and it generally becomes available in the first week of October each year. Every year, the US Department of Education (DoE) sets a limit on how much maximum amount can be given to a student under federal Pell grant program. For 2023-24 school year, this amount is $7,395. The school calculates how much money can be given under federal Pell grant program. This calculation is based on the difference between the Student Aid Index (SAI), as calculated by FAFSA, and the school’s cost of attendance (COA).     

While some students may not be eligible to receive the full award amount, so may qualify to receive even higher amounts than the maximum, such as the students who had a parent killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.     

Eligibility criteria for federal Pell grant:   

• Should have a school diploma or GED  

• Be enrolled or accepted to enroll in an approved program  

• Complete FAFSA   

• Have a valid Social Security Number  

• Maintain satisfactory academic performance in school    
  

Additionally, the application should fulfill any of the below conditions     

• Be a US citizen, US national, or a Green Card holder  

• Have an Arrival-Departure-Record, T-Visa, or a battered immigration status    
  

The award amount is not required to be repaid     

The college may fund the grant amount directly into the student’s account, pay them directly, or use a combination of both methods. However, the college has to notify the student about the amount of Pell grant, and how and when the payments were made. Colleges must pay at least once per term, be it a semester, quarter, or trimester. The money received through federal Pell grant program is not required to be repaid except in certain situations, like the recipient changes the enrollment status, or withdraws from the course.  

  

Other grant options which are worthy of exploration     

The award money can be granted for up to six semesters. The student has to apply for federal Pell grant program each year. Other education grant opportunities worth exploring include Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). You can access more information on all federally funded grant opportunities, including federal Pell grant, from grants.gov website. Additionally, you can access details of the federal Pell grant program, and other grant opportunities like women-owned business grants, Hispanic minority grants, home grants, and more from GovernmentGrants.us. For this, you will have to register at the site for a monthly membership fee of $29.95. This membership fee is refundable in case your grant application is rejected.