Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell program provides assistance in the form of a grant to undergraduate students who are registered in a minimum of 1 credit hour. Pell eligibility is determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated from the information provided on the FAFSA. The amount of Pell received will depend on the student’s EFC and credit hours registered. If a summer session is taken, a student may be eligible for 150% of the scheduled award. Students may not receive Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.

Enrollment Status

• Full-Time = 12 or more credit hours
• Three-Quarter-Time = 9-11 credit hours
• Half-Time = 6-8 credit hours
• Less-Than-Half-Time = 1-5 credit hours

Visit the Federal Student Aid website for other eligibility requirements for the Federal Pell Grant.

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you may receive over your lifetime is limited to the equivalent of six full academic years (12 semesters). Annual Pell awards are based off of full-time enrollment. If you receive the full award amount based on your eligibility, your LEU total for that year is 100%. If you are enrolled as a half-time student, your LEU total for the year would be calculated at 50%. Your eligibility for a Pell Grant will cease once your LEU reaches 600%.

You may learn more about your LEU totals at www.studentaid.gov.

The summer term is the first term of the award year. Summer Pell Grants awarded in HUB are initially based on full-time registration and are adjusted to actual registration after Summer Census. For students awarded after the first day of their summer class, Pell is based on the actual registration.

There is a limit to the amount a student can receive in Pell in one academic year. Depending on your registration, you may earn up to 150% of the annual award.* However, a Pell Grant received during the summer semester may reduce what you will be offered for the spring semester. Contact your financial aid advisor if you have any questions.

*A payment period may include awards from both the initial Pell Grant Scheduled Award and from the additional Pell Grant award. When the calculated award for a payment period is greater than the remaining balance of an initial Pell Grant Scheduled Award, the award for the payment period is that remaining balance plus an amount from the additional Pell Grant award for the award year.

Students who are eligible for a financial aid refund are able to access the funds to purchase books and supplies using UB’s Academic Books and Supplies Account.

Contact our office if you have questions about your eligibility or about the Academic Books and Supplies Account.