Summer Pell Awards for Undergraduate Students
Pell Grants for Summer Terms
Funding for Year-Round Pell has been reinstated. This means that students can receive additional Pell for summer terms within the academic year. This can allow you to stay on track for graduation or even to complete your bachelor’s degree early. However, to earn your remaining Pell Grant you have to be registered for at least six credits during the summer.
The program is known as Year Round Pell and students may receive a Pell Grant for up to 150 percent of their scheduled award. For example if you are awarded $6,895 for the year, then under the Year Round Pell program students may receive up to 3,447.50 for attending college in the summer.
Students taking less than 6 credits during the summer, may be eligible for a Pell Grant award if they have filed the upcoming year’s FAFSA, are Pell eligible and have remaining Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU) left.
Eligibility for Year Round Pell
To be eligible for a summer Pell Grant, you must:
- Have completed a FAFSA
- Be Pell Grant eligible
- Enroll in summer classes
- Enroll at least 6 credit hours
- Be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Have lifetime Pell Grant eligibility remaining
LifeTime Pell Eligibility
The maximum time frame that students may receive a Pell Grant is equivalent of 12 full-time semesters or 600 percent. Summer Pell awards will apply towards the Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). One full-time semester of a Pell award is equal to 50 percent. To check your remaining Pell, log onto https://nslds.ed.gov using your FSA ID. The federal government measures this in the following manner:
If a Pell Grant is disbursed in a semester:
| Credits Attempted | Lifetime Eligibility Used |
| Full-time enrollment (12 credits or more) | 50.0% |
| Three Quarters time enrollment (9-11 credits) | 37.5% |
| Half-time enrollment (6-8 credits) | 25.0% |
| Quarter-time enrollment (1-5 credits) | 12.5% |
Minimum Credits for Summer Pell
- If you enrolled full-time (12+ credits) and received the full-time Pell Grant amount for fall and spring, you must enroll at least half-time (6 credits) in summer classes to receive the remainder summer Pell Grant.
- If you enrolled part-time fall or spring, there is no minimum credit requirement to receive a summer Pell Grant. You can use the remainder of your annual Pell Grant amount during summer with no minimum credit requirement.
Examples of how Year Round Pell Works
Below are various scenarios in which a student is awarded Year-Round Pell based on receiving the maximum Pell Grant (0 EFC) of $6,895 for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Student 1
| Term | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Credits Taken | 12 credits (full time) | 12 credits (full time) | 6 credits |
| Pell Award | $3447.50 | $3447.50 | $1724 |
| LEU Used | 50% | 50% | 25% |
Student 2
| Term | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Credits Taken | 12 credits (full time) | 9 credits (3/4 time) | 6 credits |
| Pell Award | $3447.50 | $2585.50 | $1724 |
| LEU Used | 50% | 37% | 25% |
Student 3
| Term | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Credits Taken | 12 credits (full time) | 12 credits (full time) | 12 credits |
| Pell Award | $3447.50 | $3447.50 | $3447.50 |
| LEU Used | 50% | 50% | 50% |
Student 4
| Term | Summer | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Credits Taken | 3 credits | 12 credits | 12 credits | 6 credits |
| Pell Award | $924.50 | $3697.50 | $3697.50 | $1849 |
| LEU Used | 12.5% | 50% | 50% | 25% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Summer Pell award get reduced?
There is a lifetime aggregate limit of six years for Pell or its part-time equivalent. If you are close to or have reached that limit, you will not be eligible for or see a reduction in your summer Pell award.
Will I Need to Submit a Summer Pell Form in Order to be Eligible?
No. Year Round Pell does not require a separate form, it only requires that you file a FAFSA.
How can I check my Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU)?
Check the Federal Student Aid website for more information about and how to view your Pell LEU usage.
I can take only one class or fewer than six credits this summer, can I still receive a Pell Award?
You can enroll for fewer than six credits and still get a Pell award, if you have remaining Pell LEU eligibility, have filed a FAFSA, and been awarded a Pell grant.
Why must I take 6 credits during the summer in order to qualify for the additional amount of Pell?
This is a federal minimum requirement.
Can I take 6 credits from two different summer sessions in order to be considered half-time?
Yes. If your schools offers more than summer session you can combine them towards the 6 credit minimum requirement for Year Round Pell.
What happens to the Pell Grant if I don’t enroll in Summer and what happens if I don’t use it for summer?
Any Pell Grant or portion that is not used (disbursed) for the summer will not be counted towards the Pell Grant lifetime limit.
Will summer Pell affect my 2022-23 Pell Grant or future eligibility?
It will not affect the 2022-23 eligibility amount but it will affect a student’s Pell LEU (Lifetime Eligibility Used). In other words, using the Pell Grant for summer will reduce a student’s remaining eligibility for the remainder of their academic program.
What happens if I drop or withdraw from my classes in the summer while receiving Pell?
Payment of a summer session Pell Grant depends on your attendance in the classes you are enrolled in. Dropping or withdrawing from classes may reduce or cancel your award and result in a tuition balance owed to the college. If you receive Pell for enrolled classes and you fail to attend, you will have to return those funds immediately to the college.
What if I have additional questions?
If you have any additional questions visit your financial aid office at your college.