Understanding Summer Pell Grant Eligibility

Summer Pell Awards for Students

Summer Aid Intent Notice completion for early awarding

Our office request that students who have already filed the current year’s FAFSA, who plan to register for the summer, notify us by completing the CCM Summer Aid Request Form  (not an application for federal aid).   Students who have NOT filed their FAFSA must do so, paying close attention to the FAFSA filing year.  Example: Attending summer 2022, you must file the 2021-22 FAFSA.  Completion of the summer request form is an option; however doing so, allows our office sufficient time to determine eligibility prior to registering for classes.

Pell Grants for Summer Terms

Attention: Students must register for their CCM degree or approved certificate program required classes.

Funding for Year-Round Pell has been reinstated.  This means that students can receive additional Pell for summer terms within the academic year. This can allow you to stay on track for graduation or even to complete your Associates degree early, with remaining eligibility (based on FAFSA filing, EFC index) when continuing on toward your Bachelors degree. However, to earn your remaining Pell Grant you have to be registered for at least six credits during the summer, unless you registered for fewer credits during the fall, winter and or spring terms you may remain eligible.

The program is known as Year Round Pell and students may receive a Pell Grant for up to 150 percent of their scheduled award. For example if you are awarded $6,495 for the year, then under the Year Round Pell program students may receive up to $3,247 for attending college in the summer.

Students taking less than 6 credits during the summer, may be eligible for a Pell Grant award if they have filed the upcoming year’s FAFSA, are Pell eligible and have remaining Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU) left.

Eligibility for Year Round Pell

To be eligible for a summer Pell Grant, you must:

• Have completed a FAFSA
• Be Pell Grant eligible
• Enroll in your eligible program (major) required summer classes
• Enroll at least 6 credit
• Be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• Have lifetime Pell Grant eligibility remaining
• Register for CCM degree or approved certificate required classes

Lifetime Pell Eligibility

The maximum time frame that students may receive a Pell Grant is equivalent of 12 full-time semesters (12 + credits per term) or 600 percent (six years), or until a bachelors degree is received, whichever comes first. Summer Pell awards will apply towards the Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). One full-time semester of a Pell award is equal to 50 percent. To check your remaining Pell, log onto https://nslds.ed.gov using your FSA ID. The Federal government measures this in the following manner:

Minimum Credits for Summer Pell

• If you enrolled full-time (12+ credits) and received the full-time Pell Grant amount for fall and spring, you must enroll at least half-time (6 credits) in summer classes to receive the remainder summer Pell Grant.
• If you enrolled part-time fall or spring, there is no minimum credit requirement to receive a summer Pell Grant. You can use the remainder of your annual Pell Grant amount during summer with no minimum credit requirement.

Examples of how Year Round Pell Works

Below are various scenarios in which a student is awarded Year-Round Pell based on receiving the maximum Pell Grant (0 EFC) of $6,495 for the 2021-2022 academic year.

*$ rounded up