Federal Pell Grants are awarded based upon the analysis of the FAFSA and enrollment status (full time or part time). Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree. Pell Grants often provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid is added for the neediest students.

The United States Department of Education uses a standardized formula, established by Congress and called the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology, to evaluate the information you report on the FAFSA. The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number. The EFC number can range from zero to 99,999 or higher. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) contains this number and will tell you if you are eligible for a Pell Grant. You can get a booklet called the EFC Formula Book, which describes how a student's EFC is calculated, by writing to:

Federal Student Aid Information Center
P.O. Box 84
Washington, DC 20044-0084

The maximum Pell Grant for 2007-2008 is $4310. The maximum Pell Grant for 2008-2009 is $4731. The maximum Pell Grant award can change each year based upon Congressional funding levels. However, if you are eligible for a Pell Grant based upon your EFC number, you are guaranteed to receive it.

For the 2008-2009 school year, full-time students with EFCs from zero to 4041 qualify for some Pell Grant. Those with EFCs of 4042 or greater are not eligible for a Pell Grant but could be eligible for other types of aid.