How to File for a Pell Grant
The federal Pell Grant provides need-based monetary assistance for students who have limited incomes and are seeking to further their education at participating colleges or vocational schools. The Pell Grant does not have its own application; the U.S. Department of Education uses a specific formula to determine whether a student is entitled to the grant, by assessing the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Additionally, eligible applicants must have a high school diploma or GED and be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
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Things You'll Need
- Social Security number
- Driver’s license
- Current bank statements
- Investment records, stocks, bonds
- W-2 Forms,
- Federal income tax Return
- Parents’ federal income tax return
Instructions
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Preparing and Filing the FAFSA
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1
Visit the Student Aid on the Web’s FAFSA Information section.
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2
Gather all of the financial documents you’ll need to complete the application.
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3
Follow the instructions on how to apply for your own personal identification number (PIN); you need a PIN to sign electronically the FAFSA and renew and revise the FAFSA when needed.
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4
Look up the Federal School Code of the school(s) to which you are applying. Every school and campus is identified through its individual code.
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5
Click on the Federal Student Aid FAFSA website. Choose Option 2 “Filling Out A FAFSA,” and input all of the required information.
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6
Review the information you entered, and sign the document electronically with the PIN obtained in the prior section. Once you’ve submitted the FAFSA and it gets processed (this can take up to several weeks), the information is forwarded to the schools you selected on the form. This report (sometimes referred to as a Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) informs a student of her Pell Grant qualification and/or reward.
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Tips & Warnings
Store and keep your PIN in a safe place, as you’ll need it to correct information on an existing FAFSA and file future FAFSA forms.
While completing the FAFSA, click on "Save" after each section, so you don't run the risk of losing any information you entered.
Although all schools may not have the same FAFSA deadline, double check the federal deadline for the FAFSA).
