Federal Grants
The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to those students who demonstrate financial need as determined by the completion of the FAFSA. Students must be enrolled in three or more credit hours and meet university academic standards. Otherwise eligible students must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and cannot have previously earned a bachelor’s degree. Please note that once a student earns a bachelor's degree the student is no longer eligible for the Federal Pell grant even if the student continues with undergraduate coursework.
Semester Limits: Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year you will be limited to 12 semesters of full-time payments or up to 600% (i.e. 6 scheduled awards), or its equivalent for part-time study. For example, if you attend half-time in the fall and full-time time in the spring, you have used 25% in the fall and 50% in the spring resulting in 75% of your annual award. You can track your remaining Pell Grant eligibility on the National Student Loan Data System at www.nslds.ed.gov or through your Student Aid Report (SAR) at www.fafsa.gov.
Concurrent Enrollment At Two Colleges: Federal law does not permit a student to receive a Federal Pell Grant from more than one school for the same period of enrollment. The U.S. Department of Education notifies the schools when this happens. Should this occur, the student will be required to repay the Federal Pell Grant funds to either USF or the other school.
Federal Pell Grant Award Consideration Deadline For An Award Year: The U.S. Department of Education must process a student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and calculate an official Federal Pell Grant eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC) before the end of the student's last term of attendance or June 30 of the applicable financial aid award year (whichever is earlier) in order for the student to be considered for the Federal Pell Grant for that award year.
Determining Enrollment Status For Federal Pell Grant: A student's enrollment status for Pell Grant purposes is determined by the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled. A student's enrollment status for Federal Pell Grant purposes is determined as follows:
- 12 or more credit hours (full-time enrollment status): students are eligible for their full-time Pell amount for the term if they have a qualifying EFC.
- 9-11 credit hours (3/4 time enrollment status): students are eligible for three-fourths of their full-time Pell amount for the term if they have a qualifying EFC.
- 6-8 credit hours (1/2 time enrollment status): students are eligible for one-half of their full-time Pell amount for the term if they have a qualifying EFC.
- 1-5 credit hours (less-than-half-time enrollment status): students are eligible for one-fourth of their full-time Pell amount for the term if they have a qualifying EFC.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
FSEOG funds are awarded to those students who demonstrate exceptional financial need as determined by the completion of the FAFSA. Students must meet university academic standards.