The Qualifications for the Federal Pell Grant

Students can receive up to $5,500 each year for their educational costs by applying for the Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is only available to the financially needy. Students who receive Pell Grants do not have to make any kinds of payments if they are awarded money.

The federal Pell Grant is only available to students who have not yet earned a Bachelor's or Master's Degree. However, sometimes exceptions are possible. In order to qualify you must be an eligible noncitizen, or a citizen of the United States, and you must possess a GED or high school diploma.

If you apply for a Pell Grant, the US Department of Education will determine if you qualify for the program. They use a special formula to determine if students qualify for the program. They will look at your income, and your family's income. Other Pell Grant qualifications that are used to determine your eligibility include the cost of your tuition and whether or not you attend school part-time or full-time.

You must complete the FAFSA in order to qualify for a Pell Grant, and you must submit your application by the appropriate deadlines. If you do not follow the rules of the Pell Grant program, your application may be denied. However, you may be able to receive a grant for the following semester. After you submit the application, a decision will be made and you will receive a letter informing you about the status of your application.

Federal Pell Grants are only available for participating institutions and colleges, and you can look up to see whether or not your school is a participating institution by going onto the official government website where you filled out your FAFSA. You can read important information about the Pell Grant Program in the guidebook that is provided there, as well as in the forum. The guidebook lists the eligibility requirements, the goals of the program, the criteria, contact and funding information. The best part about the Federal Pell Grant program, is that students can also collect other kinds of financial aid, like government student loans and scholarships for their educational costs in concert with the grant, so get cracking and go fill out your FAFSA!