The first step in applying for a federal Pell grant is to fill out the FASFA, or free application for student aid. The free application for student aid gives financial information that is necessary to complete the Pell grant application. This is where expected family contribution is calculated and used to determine eligibility for a Pell grant. The current threshold for expected family contribution is set at $5273 per year. If a student's expected family contribution is at or below this amount, then the student is eligible to receive a grant. Currently, the maximum amount of the Pell grant is set at $5550. Of course, not all students receive the full amount based upon the financial information provided.
Once a student has applied for the FASFA, a student aid report or SAR will be sent to the students. This report outlines the eligible amount based upon financial information decision provided earlier. The school the student is attending will receive an institutional student information record, or ISIR. Both reports show the amount a student is eligible to receive and the amount that a student's family is expected to contribute to their education. These documents, though, do not encompass the entire application process for Pell grant.
At this stage a student has a choice of continuing the complicated application process alone or working with the school's financial aid department to complete the application process. Most students preferred expertise of trained financial aid officers to expedite the application through its various phases. If this is the course taken, then the school completes the application for federal programs on the student's behalf. When the school receives the Pell grant, it is a common practice to mail the Pell grant to the student for whom it was meant.
Students applying for aid must also meet additional criteria in order to receive a Pell grant. He or she must be a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen. Students applying for aid cannot have outstanding student loans that are in default. Students may not be incarcerated at the time of application.
Students applying for financial aid in the form of a Pell grant must be attempting their first associates degree or bachelor's degree from an accredited secondary school of their choice. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. Those attending a post secondary school to gain certification within certain fields may also be eligible for a Pell grant. This is especially true in students earning teaching certifications.
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Leveraging a pell grant to pay for school is a great idea in a down economy. In order to qualify, the applicant must meet pell grant eligibility requirements. Pell grant requirements have become easier to understand and achieve. To find out more information about pell grants, please visit: =>http://pellgrantguide.org/
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