Features

• A Pell grant is money that eligible students receive from the federal government to assist in paying for their studies. The Pell grant does not have to be repaid. For the 2010-2011 school year, the maximum Pell grant amount is $5,550. This amount is adjusted annually to reflect cost-of-living increases. The amount you will receive depends on your financial need, among other factors, such as the cost of your school and whether you are a full- or part-time student.
  
  

Qualifying Courses

• The Pell grant is not tied to a particular course of study, but the student must be an undergraduate student to be eligible to receive a Pell grant. In addition, a student may not have earned a previous baccalaureate degree or a first professional degree before this course of study. Undergraduate study is considered to be four or five years of study, and if the program exceeds that length of time, only the first five years afford the student Pell grant eligibility. Any undergraduate courses will qualify for the Pell grant provided the student meets these eligibility requirements.
  
  

Graduate Course Eligibility

• In general, graduate courses do not qualify for the Pell grant. However, there is one exception for students who are enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teaching credential program. This program must consist of courses that are required by a state to be licensed for teaching within that state. The program cannot lead to a graduate degree, and the school where the student attends cannot offer a bachelor's degree in education. The student must be enrolled at least part-time and must be pursuing an initial teacher certification or license credentials.
  
  

Incompleted Courses

• Despite the reason, if you do not complete your studies, you may have to repay the Pell grant. This would be required if you reduce the number of classes you are taking or drop out. In both cases, the Pell grant could be reclassified as an overpayment. Under federal law, the school must give you a withdrawal policy and the Pell grant overpayment policy to require repayment.