Guides

The Pell Grant: who gets it and how much

Updated November 2026

The Federal Pell Grant is money for undergraduates with financial need that, unlike a loan, usually doesn’t have to be paid back. There is no separate form: you apply with the FAFSA. Facts below are a plain summary of StudentAid.gov’s Pell Grant page.

What it is

A Federal Pell Grant does not have to be repaid, except in some cases (for example, if you withdraw before finishing a term). When you might have to repay a grant.

You can’t get Pell Grant money from more than one school at the same time.

How much

Up to $7,395 for 2026–27

That is the maximum for the 2026–27 award year (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027). StudentAid.gov says it will add the 2027–28 amount when it’s available.

Amount checked: November 15, 2026.

What you actually get depends on:

Your Student Aid Index (from your FAFSA)
Your school’s cost of attendance for your program
Whether you study full-time or part-time
Whether you attend for a full academic year or less
The type and length of your program
How much Pell eligibility you have left

In some cases you can get up to 150% of your yearly award by also studying an extra term (sometimes called “year-round Pell”). Ask your school’s financial aid office.

Who can get it

Pell Grants usually go to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need who don’t already have a bachelor’s, graduate or professional degree. In some cases, students in a teacher certification program after a bachelor’s, or in an eligible workforce program, can get one too.

StudentAid.gov doesn’t post a single income cut-off. Need is worked out from your FAFSA, so think you earn too much? File anyway and see. Aid you may be missing.

If your parent died while serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or as a public safety officer, you may be eligible for the maximum Pell Grant.

How to get it

Fill out the FAFSA. It’s free. How to fill out the FAFSA
Your school uses it to decide whether you get a Pell Grant and how much.
Your school can put the money toward your school costs, pay you directly, or both.
Fill out the FAFSA again every year you’re in school to keep getting it.

Limits

You can get it for up to 12 full-time terms or the equivalent (roughly six years). Your FAFSA Submission Summary warns you when you’re close, and your StudentAid.gov account shows what you’ve used.
Once you earn a bachelor’s or first professional degree, you usually can’t get it anymore.

Other federal aid to ask your school about

Your FAFSA can also open the door to other aid, such as the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and work-study. Not every school offers these, and funds can run out. See aid you may be missing.

Next steps

Education only, not financial advice. WealthNutz is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, and this is a summary, not an official page. Checked on November 15, 2026. Amounts change each year, so confirm on StudentAid.gov. You may qualify; your school and the Department of Education decide.

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