FAQs: Federal Pell Grant
Award amounts change yearly. The maximum annual amount of Pell Grant funds for the 2024–2025 academic year is $7,395. Students must have a Student Aid Index (SAI) less than or equal to zero and complete full-time enrollment per term for two terms.
The amount of your Pell Grant award will depend on
- Your Student Aid Index (SAI)
- UMGC cost of attendance
- Your enrollment status: you will receive an increased percentage of your Pell eligibility based on the number of credits you are enrolled in actively (referred to as “Enrollment Intensity”). Below is a chart showing the enrollment intensity for different enrollment levels.
| Credit Hours | Old Enrollment Category | Enrollment Intensity |
| 12 | Full Time | 100% |
| 11 | Three Quarter Time | 92% |
| 10 | Three Quarter Time | 83% |
| 9 | Three Quarter Time | 75% |
| 8 | Half Time | 67% |
| 7 | Half Time | 58% |
| 6 | Half Time | 50% |
| 5 | Less Than Half Time | 42% |
| 4 | Less Than Half Time | 33% |
| 3 | Less Than Half Time | 25% |
| 2 | Less Than Half Time | 17% |
| 1 | Less Than Half Time | 8% |
Pell Grant disbursement amounts may vary depending on how many active applicable course credits you are taking.
For example: You are registered for 100 percent enrollment intensity (12 credits or more) in the fall 2024 term—6 credits in session 1 and 6 credits in session 3. In session 1, you will receive a Pell Grant disbursement based on your active enrollment of 6 credits for that session followed by another Pell Grant disbursement based on your active enrollment of 6 credits in session 3.
For additional details, visit UMGC’s disbursement webpage.
Federal Financial Aid can only be disbursed based on program-applicable courses. Courses not required for your program will be excluded from your enrollment status when determining eligibility for financial aid.
Pell Grant funds will be adjusted if you cease participation in a course for which you previously received a Pell Grant disbursement.
For example: You enrolled in three courses totaling 9 credits during session 1 of the fall term but subsequently dropped or withdrew from one of the courses. The Office of Financial Aid would be required to reduce the Pell Grant disbursement for the term to reflect 50 percent enrolment intensity (or 6 credits) if the student dropped or withdrew from one 3-credit class. This action may create a balance due on your student account.
For more information, visit UMGC’s webpage on Dropping or Withdrawing and Financial Aid.
You may be eligible for year-round Pell Grant aid. Year-round Pell Grant aid benefits students that complete a full-time course load in the summer and fall terms to receive additional Pell Grant aid in the spring term. To be eligible for year-round Pell Grant aid, you must
- Be eligible to receive the Pell Grant in the spring term
- Have utilized 100 percent of your scheduled annual Pell Grant award prior to receiving additional funds
Federal law limits the amount of Pell Grant funds a student can receive to the equivalent of six years (or 12 semesters) at full-time enrollment, calculated as 600 percent. You can check your Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU) by logging into StudentAid.gov using your FSA ID. Students who are nearing their maximum of 600 percent LEU may have their Pell Grant disbursements reduced to prevent an overaward.
Pell Grant funds can be awarded to eligible students who completed classes in a previous semester if the relevant academic year is still in progress and other disbursement regulatory requirements are met.
This does not apply to federal loans or other types of aid, which are bound by different awarding and/or disbursement rules.
Important Information to Note
If your FAFSA information changes as a result of verification or there is a change in your enrollment, your Federal Pell Grant award may change.
You are no longer eligible for the Pell Grant once you have earned your first bachelor’s degree.
You cannot receive a Pell Grant at more than one institution within the same academic term.