Contents
Catalog Links

Length of Aid Eligibility

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds students may receive over their lifetime is limited by a new federal law to be the equivalent of six (6) years of Pell Grant funding. Since the maximum amount of Pell Grant funding that a student can receive each year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%.

Scheduled award: The maximum amount of Federal Pell Grant funding students can receive is calculated for an award year. An award year is a period from July 1 of one calendar year to June 30 of the next calendar year.

Scheduled award:

  1. Is partially determined by using a students Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that is calculated from the information students (and their family) provided when student filed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
  2. Is the maximum amount student would receive for the award year if they were enrolled full-time for the full school year; and
  3. Represents 100% of student Pell Grant eligibility for that award year.

Percent used: To determine how much of the maximum six (600%) of Pell Grant students have used each year, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) compares the actual amount received for the award year with student’s scheduled award amount for that award year. If student receives the full amount of scheduled award, student will have used 100%.

Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU): ED keeps track of student LEU by adding together the percentage of Pell Grant scheduled awards that you received for each award year. Students can log on to the National Student Loan Data System website (www.nsdls.ed.gov/nslds_sa/). Using Federal Student Aid ID students may view their LEU. See the Financial Aid Office for further questions.