Pell Grant Requirements

Learn about the Pell Grant requirements and how to find the Pell Grant application. Pell Grants provide federal grant money to low and middle income undergraduate students. Individual awards vary. For the 2024 - 2025 school year, the maximum Pell Grant is to be announced (around $7500).

Pell Grant Eligibility
2024 - 2025

University of Minnesota

The Pell Grant eligibility requirements changed for 2024 - 25, and it is estimated that an additional 15% of students will qualify.

Automatic Pell Grants may be awarded based upon household size. A maximum Federal Pell Grant award will be granted to students from families making less than 175% and single parents making less than 225% of the federal poverty level.

Minimum Pell Grants will be guaranteed to students from households below 275%, 325%, 350%, or 400% of the federal poverty level, depending on household structure.

Pell Grant awards between the maximum and minimum amounts (Pell Max and Pell Min) will be determined by the Student Aid Index. This means other student may qualify, including those who don't file tax returns, and children of certain deceased armed forces or public safety officers.

The basic Pell Grant requirements still apply:

High school diploma or GED

U.S. Citizen (some non-citizens are qualified)

Enrolled in accredited college or university undergraduate program

Must not have certain types of criminal convictions.

Low to moderate income (Typically less than $40,000 per year).

The number of students in college at the same time is no longer a consideration.

The Pell Grant award cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance for the school the student will attend.

Half of the Federal Pell Grant award will be offered in each semester, and if the student is not attending full-time, it will be prorated based upon the Enrollment Intensity, or number of units/credits.

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Pell Grant Application 2024 - 2025

The Pell Grant application is the same one for other federal student financial aid - the FAFSA. Submit a FAFSA either online or paper based application. Apply as early as possible in the year, as funds for most grant programs are limited.

You may also be eligible for state grants and scholarships based upon your Pell Grant eligibility, or some private scholarships such as the Bill Gates Scholarships.

The Federal Pell Grants program is moving toward requiring Pell Grant applicants to use tax data from the IRS to report their income section, based upon their federal tax return. This will be done by using the Direct Data Exchange (DDX) during the FAFSA online application process. This is required even for non-filers to confirm their status.

Your FAFSA information will determine your SAI or Student Aid Index. Students qualifying for a Maximum Pell Grant will have a Student Aid Index (SAI) between negative $1,500 (-$,1500) and $0. The lower your SAI means you are more likely to meet the Pell Grant requirements. Note: The SAI replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in 2024-25.

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Need Based Scholarships and Grants

If you meet the Pell Grant eligibility criteria, you might also be eligible for other need based scholarships and grants, such as:

Bill Gates Scholarships for Minorities

Pepsi Scholarship

Scholarships for Minorities

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