Summer classes are a great way to accelerate completion of your degree, and it may be more affordable than ever before!
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 now allows a student to receive Pell Grant funds up to 150% of the student's Pell Grant Schedule Award for an award year. The lifetime eligibility amount is 600% equivalent to six years of Pell Grant funding. The Year-Round Pell Grant will still be calculated in your lifetime eligibility used. To check your lifetime eligibility used log on to National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) using your FSA ID.
In certain situations, an eligible student can receive up to 150 percent of his or her scheduled Pell Grant award for the aid year. If a student was eligible to receive Pell Grant and attended full time during the fall and spring semesters, you must be enrolled in at least six credit hours this summer. Students must also meet all other eligibility requirements for federal aid. Summer aid will only pay for classes in which you are enrolled in on the first day of the summer term.
If a student was eligible to receive Pell Grant and did not attend attend full time in the fall or spring semesters they may have remaining Pell Grant eligibility to use for summer 2019.
Year-Round Pell Grant will not change loan amounts.
A student must be eligible to receive federal aid and meet all eligibility requirements. If a student was eligible to receive Pell Grant and attended full time during the fall and spring semesters, a student must be enrolled in at least six credit hours this summer by the first day of the summer term.
A student has to maintain satisfactory academic progress to remain eligible for federal financial aid. Our updated SAP policy is located here: Satisfactory Academic Policy
The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you receive over your lifetime is limited by federal law to be the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding. All Pell Grant funds received, including additional funds beyond the initial scheduled award, must be counted towards the student's overall lifetime eligibility limits.
If a student attended full time in the fall and spring semester the student will have to enroll in at least six credit hours in the summer to possibly receive Pell Grant in the summer semester. If a student attended less than full time in the fall or spring semester the student can use any unused Pell Grant for the summer semester.
If you did not receive the full amount of your scheduled award, we calculate the percentage of the scheduled award that you did receive. For example, if your scheduled award for an award year is $5,000, but because you were enrolled for only one semester you received only $2,500, you would have received 50% of the scheduled award for that award year. Or if you received only $3,750 for the award year because you were enrolled three-quarter-time and not full-time, you would have received 75% for that year.
You should start by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. You will have to fill out the FAFSA form every year you’re in school in order to stay eligible for federal student aid.
Summer aid will only pay for classes in which you are enrolled in on the first day of the summer term. Adding and dropping classes before the first day of the term or after can impact a student's eligibility. Dropping below six credit hours before or after receiving Year Round Pell could make a student ineligible.
It is imperative you check with our office if you plan on dropping any or all of your classes. Your aid may be dependent on the number of hours you attempt or complete. Talk to financial aid before you make any schedule changes.
Generally, all loan eligibility is awarded during the Fall and Spring semesters. In order to use loan funds to pay for summer classes, you will need to reserve money from Fall or Spring to pay for summer charges. If you do not accept all of your eligibility for the Fall and Spring semesters, you may have funding available. Please contact our office for student specific information.