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Pell Grant for Undergraduate Students

Regent University participates in the Federal Pell Grant Program for undergraduate students.

To be considered for eligibility:

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Be regularly enrolled in a degree-seeking program.
  • Be enrolled in an associate’s or first bachelor’s degree program. Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are not eligible for Pell.

Amount Awarded:

  • 2024-2025: $0 – $7,395 (maximum annual award)
  • 2023-2024: $0 – $7,395 (maximum annual award)

Typically, Pell grant disburses in two equal parts per academic year (fall and spring semesters). Although disbursed at the beginning of a semester, students must earn their Pell by completing and participating in registered courses.

The Department of Education (ED) determines Pell grant awards on a sliding scale based on the combination of two factors:

  1. Student Aid Index (SAI): Your SAI is an eligibility index number resulting from the information provided on your FAFSA: especially tax information (which is usually transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA form but may need to be manually provided). The SAI is not a dollar amount of aid eligibility or what your family is expected to provide, but instead identifies into which bracket of Pell Grant eligibility you fall.
  2. Enrollment Status: The number of credits you take in a semester determines the amount of your awarded Pell grant you may receive. Students who are enrolled full time will receive their full awarded Pell grant amount for the specific semester (which may be less than the maximum dollar award, depending on the SAI). A student who enrolls below full-time status will receive a pro-rated portion of their awarded Pell grant instead of the full awarded amount. Visit our Financial Aid Enrollment Requirements website page here for detailed credit hour requirements required for halftime enrollment.

In 2024-2025, the SAI replaced the EFC in student aid calculations. For 2023-2024 and before, the EFC was used to determine students’ Pell eligibility.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC): Your EFC is determined by information provided on the FAFSA. The Student Aid Report (SAR) lists your EFC and details the overall FAFSA results. ED phrases the EFC as a dollar amount and it represents the expected financial contribution from you (and your family) toward the cost of your education; however, it does not imply an obligation to pay out-of-pocket. It does place all students within a “need category” designed to determine eligibility for Pell grant, Stafford Loans, etc.

  • In certain situations, an eligible student can receive up to 150 percent of his or her scheduled Pell Grant award for an award year.
    • For example, if you are eligible for a $2,000 Pell Grant for the award year and are enrolled full-time for both the fall term and spring term, you’ll likely receive $1,000 in the fall and $1,000 in the spring. However, under certain circumstances, you may be eligible to receive up to an additional $1,000 for attendance in an additional term within that award year (resulting in your receiving 150% of your original award). You might hear this situation being referred to as “year-round Pell.”
  • You may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.
  • The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you may receive over your lifetime is limited by federal law to be the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding. Since the amount of a scheduled Pell Grant award you can receive each award year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%.
  • If a student’s application for federal financial aid is selected for verification, this process must be satisfied before the Financial Aid Office is able to determine the Pell Grant eligibility. Please see our verification page for more details.
  • When there are unusual situations or circumstances that impact your federal student aid eligibility, federal regulations give a financial aid administer discretion or professional judgment on a case-by-case basis and with adequate documentation to make adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA form that impact your EFC to gain a more accurate assessment of your family’s ability to contribute to your cost of education. Please visit our Professional Judgment page for more details.
  • If student’s parent or guardian died in the line of duty while serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces on or after Sept. 11, 2001, they may be eligible for additional Federal Pell Grant funding once their eligibility is confirmed by their college or career school.

View the 2023-2024 Pell Grant chart to determine the approximate amount of your Pell Grant for the 2023-2024 academic year.

View the 2022-2023 Pell Grant chart to determine the approximate amount of your Pell Grant for the 2022-2023 academic year.