Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduates and certain post-baccalaureate students (Credential Students) to promote access to post-secondary education, funded by the United States Federal Government and administered by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Students may not receive the Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.

Eligibility Requirement

  1. Complete a   FAFSA applicationOpens in new window

  2. U.S. Citizens or Eligible Non-Citizens

  3. Undergraduates

  4. Accepted to a Credential Program

  5.  You may not be eligible if you are incarceratedOpens in new window

  6. You are not eligible if you are taking prerequisite courses for your credential program.

  7. Credential students must be enrolled in at least six units of coursework required for the credential.

    • Student’s must be in an eligible Credential Program, and taking Pell Grant Credential Eligible Classes.

    • Student’s must be working on their 1st Credential

Award Amounts Depends On

  1. The student's expected family contributions (EFC)

  2. The cost of attendance

  3. The student's enrollment status (full-time or part-time)

  4. Whether the student attends for a full academic year or less

max and min pell grant amounts
Aid Year Maximum Pell Award Minimum Pell Award
2022-2023 $6,895 $692
2023-2024 $7,395 $767

Important Note:

Your award is dependent on your Expected Family Contributions (EFC), you can obtain that information on your FAFSA application. The higher your EFC the less Pell award you will received and more units of enrolled is required for disbursement.

Award Limits

Students are limited to a total of six full-time (600%) of Pell Grant eligibility, also known as the Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). The calculation of this total includes previous semesters at CSUF, as well as any attendance at any other institutions (including community colleges) where a Pell Grant was paid. 

Visit the Federal Student Aid to learn more and to determine the percentage of Pell Grant funding you have received. --Federal Student AidOpens in new window

Disbursement for Federal Pell Grant

Credential students Pell Grant disbursement occurs after the census date for the term -- established by Admission and Records -- when your units are locked. At that time your courses are evaluated to ensure you are eligible for a disbursement. If you are taking prerequisites courses, those are not counted as eligible for a Pell Grant disbursement. 

disbursement for pell grant
Enrollment Status Number of Units Enrolled Percentage of Disbursed Amount
Full-Time 12 or more units 100%
Three-Quarter-Time 9-11 units 75%*
Half-Time 6-8 units 50%*

*In some instances a student enrolled in less than 12 units may lose eligibility for his/her Pell Grant, as the EFC's in the higher end of the Pell Grant range does not allow for less than full-time enrollment. 

Pell Grant recipients who change enrollment status - adding or dropping courses - will have their eligibility recalculated based on their enrollment status as of the University's census date for each semester, typically the beginning of the fourth week of class.

Likewise, Pell Grant fund will be recalculated for students who drop classes and the revised Pell Grant will be based on "census" enrollment status. In some instances, this recalculation may results in repayment of fund already disbursed as a result of the reduction in units following the disbursement of Pell Grant funds.