The Pell Grant is designed for undergraduate students who are living in the United States, and was initiated to help give financial aid for students who may come from lower income families. The grant can cover all education related expenses from books to living costs, but there are a few stipulations and steps to take before receiving this federal educational grant.

Before becoming eligible for the Pell Grant, the student must have applied, been accepted, and enrolled in certification classes, a degree, or another professional program. The school in which the student is enrolled must accept Title IV funding and have been accredited by a regional accreditation body backed by the United States Department of Education. The school must also accept all federal student aid programs.

The next step is for the student to fill out the Free Application for Student Aid, otherwise known as the FAFSA. This Pell Grant application can be found at fafsa.ed.gov, or by getting in touch with your financial aid office. Be sure to collect your previous year’s tax returns before going ahead to complete the application. After successfully submitting the FAFSA, various calculations are made based off of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) metric. The EFC must generally be under 5,273 dollars to qualiyf for the Pell Grant. Independent students with no dependents that make less than 7,000 dollars a year will be able to receive the maximum grant amount. Students with incomes higher than this value may still be able to become eligible, although they will eventually get a lower amount.

Another eligibility requirement for this grant program requires that the student has a criminal record free of drug charges. Any drug related convictions will make a student immediately ineligible for the Pell Grant. Once the student’s classes have begun, in order to continue receiving this financial aid instrument students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. This will generally mean a 2.0 average with a sufficient amount of credits or units per semester.

The Pell Grant is a wonderful way for students struggling with paying for school to receive the money they need for their higher education. With a few simple steps and the submission of a simple application, money for books, housing, and living expenses can be on the way. Don’t forget that before the application process actually begins, it is critical to gather your previous year’s financial records and other documentation if you don’t want to spend an entire day filling out the FAFSA.