How to pay for college · By CalChannel Editorial Team · Updated September 29, 2026
The Federal Pell Grant is need-based aid for undergraduates that doesn’t have to be repaid. For the 2026-27 award year, the maximum Pell Grant is $7,395, and students whose Student Aid Index (SAI) is $14,790 or higher are not eligible. You apply by filing the FAFSA; there’s no separate Pell application, and you can receive Pell for up to the equivalent of six full-time years.
What is the Pell Grant? It’s the largest federal grant for college students, sometimes misspelled as “pelle grant” or “palgrant,” and it goes to undergraduates with financial need. Unlike a loan, it never has to be paid back.
This guide covers the 2026-27 award amounts, who qualifies, how the FAFSA connects to Pell, and how Pell combines with California aid.
| Fact | 2026-27 award year |
|---|---|
| Maximum Pell Grant | $7,395 |
| SAI cutoff | Students with an SAI of $14,790 or more (twice the maximum award) are not eligible |
| Year-round Pell | Eligible students can receive up to 150% of their scheduled award in one award year |
| Lifetime limit | The equivalent of 12 full-time semesters (600% of a full award) |
| How to apply | File the FAFSA; no separate application |
| Repayment | None, except in limited cases such as withdrawing early |
Sources: U.S. Department of Education, GEN-26-01 (2026-27 Pell Grant maximum award) and APP-25-23 (2026-27 FAFSA and Pell eligibility updates); Federal Student Aid. Full list at the end of the article.
In This Article
What Is the Pell Grant?
The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant from the U.S. Department of Education for undergraduate students who haven’t earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. Pell money can be used at any school that participates in federal student aid, including community colleges, Cal State and UC campuses, private colleges and eligible career schools.
Your school applies the grant to tuition, fees and, in some cases, housing and food. If Pell and other aid exceed what you owe the school, you receive the remaining amount to help with other education costs.
How Much Is the Pell Grant in 2026-27?
The maximum Pell Grant for the 2026-27 award year is $7,395, the same as the year before. Your actual award depends on your Student Aid Index (SAI), your school’s cost of attendance, your enrollment status (full-time or part-time) and whether you attend a full academic year.
| Pell Grant rule | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Maximum scheduled award | $7,395 |
| SAI at or above which a student is ineligible | $14,790 |
| Most a student can receive in one award year | Up to 150% of the scheduled award with year-round enrollment |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Dear Colleague Letter GEN-26-01 and Electronic Announcement APP-25-23.
What’s new for 2026-27? Under federal law changes, students whose SAI is equal to or greater than twice the maximum Pell Grant, or $14,790 for 2026-27, are not eligible for Pell, even if their cost of attendance is high.
Is FAFSA and Pell Grant the Same Thing?
No. The FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the application. The Pell Grant is one type of aid you can receive from it. The same FAFSA is used for federal loans, Federal Work-Study, state grants such as Cal Grant, and most college grants.
What Are the Pell Grant Requirements?
- Financial need, measured by your Student Aid Index from the FAFSA
- Undergraduate status with no prior bachelor’s or professional degree (limited exceptions exist for some teacher certification programs)
- U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status
- Enrollment in an eligible degree or certificate program at a participating school
- Satisfactory academic progress as defined by your school
- Remaining lifetime eligibility, which is capped at the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters
How Do You Get a Pell Grant?
File the FAFSA each year you want aid. There’s no separate Pell application. After you submit the FAFSA, you’ll receive an FAFSA Submission Summary with your SAI, and each school that admits you will include Pell in your aid offer if you qualify. Because eligibility is recalculated each year, you must file a new FAFSA annually.
California students should file by March 2 to stay eligible for Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship, which use the same FAFSA or California Dream Act Application data.
Our take: Many families skip the FAFSA because they assume they won’t qualify for Pell. That’s a mistake in California, where the same form also unlocks Cal Grant, the Middle Class Scholarship and campus grants, which reach families with much higher incomes than Pell does.
Pell Grants and California Aid
Pell stacks with state and college aid. At a community college, Pell can often cover a large share of living costs because enrollment fees are only $46 per unit and are often waived. At a UC, Pell counts toward the grant aid behind UC’s Blue and Gold commitment: UC says most California families earning up to $100,000 receive enough grant and scholarship aid to cover UC tuition. At a Cal State, Pell commonly combines with Cal Grant and the State University Grant.
For a full picture of how grants, scholarships and loans fit together, see our guides to how to pay for college and UC tuition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum Pell Grant for 2026-27?
The maximum Pell Grant for the 2026-27 award year is $7,395, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Who is not eligible for a Pell Grant?
Students with an SAI of $14,790 or higher for 2026-27, students who already have a bachelor’s degree, most graduate students, and students who have used up their lifetime eligibility are not eligible.
Do you have to pay back a Pell Grant?
Generally no. You may have to return part of it if you withdraw early in a term or if your enrollment changes after the grant is paid.
How many years can I get a Pell Grant?
Pell has a lifetime limit equal to 12 full-time semesters, or about six years of full-time study. You can check how much you’ve used in your studentaid.gov account.
Can graduate students get a Pell Grant?
Generally no. Pell is for undergraduates without a bachelor’s degree, with narrow exceptions for certain post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs.
The Bottom Line on Pell Grant Eligibility
The Pell Grant is free federal money for undergraduates with financial need. For 2026-27, the maximum award is $7,395, and students with an SAI of $14,790 or higher are not eligible. You qualify through the FAFSA, and you must file it again each year. Unlike loans, Pell Grants don’t have to be repaid; if you also borrow, see how student loan repayment works.
Even if you don’t expect to get Pell, file the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by March 2 so you’re considered for California’s state and campus aid.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education. “GEN-26-01: 2026-27 Federal Pell Grant Maximum and Minimum Award Amounts.” fsapartners.ed.gov.
- U.S. Department of Education. “APP-25-23: 2026-27 FAFSA Form and Pell Grant Eligibility Updates.” fsapartners.ed.gov.
- Federal Student Aid. “Don’t Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants.” studentaid.gov.
- Federal Student Aid. “Federal Pell Grants.” studentaid.gov.
CalChannel Editorial Team California college guides
The CalChannel editorial team researches and writes guides to California colleges, admissions and financial aid. We build our college profiles and aid guides from colleges’ own published data, federal IPEDS data and the California Student Aid Commission. Read our editorial policy.
