Federal Pell Grant
What is a Federal Pell Grant?
A Federal Pell Grant is a type of student financial aid that does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are
typically awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s,
graduate or professional degree, and who demonstrate financial need. For many students,
a Federal Pell Grant provides a foundation of financial aid to which other aid may
be added.
How do I apply and qualify for a Federal Pell Grant?
The first step is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the annual deadline. Once the FAFSA has been processed, an email from Federal
Student Aid (FSA) will provide instructions on how to access the FAFSA Submission
Summary—a document that summarizes the information reported in the FAFSA.
The FAFSA Submission Summary includes the Student Aid Index (SAI), an eligibility index number used by the financial aid office to determine federal student aid eligibility, including estimated eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant and/or federal student loans.
The FAFSA must be submitted each year of enrollment to remain eligible for federal student aid, including Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), work-study, or Direct Loans.
How much funding does a Federal Pell Grant provide?
Award amounts can change yearly. The amount of Pell Grant a student can receive will
depend on several factors:
- Student Aid Index (based on FAFSA form)
- The cost of attendance (determined by the school for a specific program)
- Full-time or part-time student status
The maximum Federal Pell Grant award for the 2025-2026 award year is $7,395* (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026).
*An eligible student may receive up to 150% of their scheduled Pell Grant award within
a single award year. This allows students to receive Pell Grant funding for all three
terms in an academic year—at Cuesta, that includes the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
This is commonly referred to as “Year-Round Pell.”
Please note: A student can receive the Federal Pell Grant for no more than 12 terms full-time
terms or the equivalent (roughly six years). Federal Student Aid (FSA) provides additional
information about Federal Pell Grant lifetime eligibility.
Can a Pell Grant award change from the initial estimate provided by Federal Student
Aid?
Yes. Upon submission of a FAFSA, the student will be presented with an estimated financial
aid package. This estimate is not a guarantee of funding. Any changes to the FAFSA data may result in an adjustment to your Pell Grant, including
but not limited to:
- Review of your FAFSA due to Verification
- Corrections made by staff due to conflicting school data
- Corrections made by student after initial submission
Students will receive an electronic notification each time your award package has been adjusted.
How will I receive my Federal Pell Grant?
Cuesta College may use your Federal Pell Grant to pay enrollment, tuition and student
fees, if a student has an account balance. Once all fees are paid for the semester,
Cuesta will release funds directly to the student, via electronic funds transfer to
BankMobile. Cuesta will disburse funds to an eligible student at various points throughout the
semester. In order to receive funds timely, students will need to select a refund
preference at least 2 weeks prior to any given disbursement date. A refund preference
only needs to be set up one time, unless a student wants to change the refund preference
on file. All changes to a BankMobile account, including name, mailing address, banking information,
or refund preference must be made directly with BankMobile.
Please see our disbursement calendar for specifics.
How do I maintain eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant?
To remain eligible, a student must continue to the meet basic Pell Grant eligibility
criteria, make satisfactory academic progress (SAP), and submit the FAFSA every year
while in school.
There are certain circumstances in which a student could be required to return a portion
of the Pell Grant, such withdrawing early from school or if the enrollment status
changes in a way that reduces eligibility (for instance, going from full-time to part-time
enrollment).
Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship & Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
The FAFSA Simplification Act changed eligibility for what were formerly called “Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG)” and “Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Scholarships.” Beginning with the 2024-25 award year, students who meet the eligibility requirements for Pell Grants under the Special Rule in HEA Section 401(c) will receive a maximum Pell Grant award, regardless of their calculated SAI. For more information, please visit studentaid.gov help site or the Cuesta College Financial Aid Office.