Description
The Federal Pell Grant is a form of gift aid and does not have to be repaid as long as the student was and remains eligible for the grant disbursement.
Process
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process.
Amounts
2023-24 Award Year
- The 2023-24 Award Year maximum Pell Grant Scheduled Award amount is $7,395 and the minimum is $767 (assuming full-time enrollment). The Pell Grant eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC) range is 0 to 6500.
- See the 2023-24 UGA Pell Grant Payment Chart (PDF) to view all possible Pell award amounts based on your EFC and Enrollment Status.
Students who do not enroll full-time in the fall and spring semesters usually have some remaining Pell Grant eligibility for the summer. Effective with Summer 2018, otherwise Pell eligible students who received 100 percent of their Pell Grant Scheduled Award over the previous fall and spring semesters and who enroll in at least 6 hours (half-time) in the summer will be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds if permitted by their enrollment status and EFC. Additionally, since UGA treats the summer term as a trailer term for federal aid purposes, students will have their Federal Pell Grant eligibility for summer 2024 determined by their 2023-24 FAFSA information.
If a student drops or withdraws from a course prior to the end of the Short Session II drop/add period then that course must be removed from Pell Grant enrollment status. The end of drop/add for Short Session II for Summer 2023 is July 11th, so any classes dropped or withdrawn prior to July 12th cannot be counted for Pell Grant enrollment status. For example, if you enroll in 12 hours during Summer term and withdraw from 3 hours on July 1st, you will be considered ¾ time for Pell Grant purposes. This may result in a Pell Grant repayment if you have already received Summer Pell Grant for 12 hours.
Eligibility
Students must:
- meet all the Basic Student Eligibility criteria, and
- be enrolled in either a baccalaureate, or a professional degree program (with fewer than 72 earned hours), and
- cannot have previously earned a baccalaureate or professional degree, or have completed all the UGA requirements for either type of degree.
Concurrent Enrollment at Two Colleges:
- Federal law does not permit a student to receive a Federal Pell Grant from more than one school for the same period of enrollment.
- The U.S. Department of Education notifies the schools when this occurs and the student will be required to return the Federal Pell Grant funds to either UGA or the other school.
Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU):
- See Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) under Important Terms.
Award Year Consideration Deadline:
- The U.S. Department of Education must process a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and calculate an official Federal Pell Grant eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC) the earlier of either the student’s last date of attendance in the applicable Award Year, or June 30 of the applicable Award Year in order for the student to be considered for the Federal Pell Grant for that Award Year. Also see Retroactive Federal Student Aid (FSA).
Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship
Under this scholarship, beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, a Pell-eligible student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while performing as a public safety officer is eligible to receive a maximum Pell Grant for the award year for which the determination of eligibility is made. To qualify for this scholarship, a student must be Pell-eligible and have a Pell-eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC) (up to 6500 for the 2023-2024 award year), and be less than 24 years of age or enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of his or her parent’s or guardian’s death.