The Federal Pell Grant is the foundation of federal student financial aid. The Pell Grant is mainly for undergraduate students; however, in some cases, students who are enrolled in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program might receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Award Amounts 

Award amounts can change yearly. 
 
2023–24 Award Year 
The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2023–24 award year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024). 
 
2024–25 Award Year 
The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2024–25 award year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The minimum Pell Grant for 2024-25 away year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025) is $740.    

Pell Grants and Enrollment Intensity 

Enrollment intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled, rounded to the nearest whole percent. For example, if full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours and the student is enrolled in 7 hours, the enrollment intensity would be 7 ÷ 12 X 100% = 58.3% (round to 58%). 

Below is a chart of enrollment intensity relative to full time. Enrollment intensity only applies to Pell Grant eligibility.  

If a student is originally awarded a maximum Pell Grant based on full time enrollment both semesters, we’d expect the Pell Grant to look like: 

• Full-time Scheduled Pell Grant award: $7,395 

Disbursement Schedule (full-time both semesters) 

If that student dropped credits from 12 credits to 7 credits fall semester before the 15th day of classes at midnight (census date), then the Pell Grant would be adjusted down to 7 credit loan intensity.  Let’s use this chart for a student who is maximum Pell Grant eligible but taking only 7 credits in the fall, then the Pell Grant for the student for fall is ($7,395 X 58% or .58)

÷÷

  2 = $2,145 

Disbursement Schedule (half time fall; full time spring semesters) 

This change in enrollment would cause a bill of $1553 due back to the University immediately in the fall semester. 

Here’s another example with a maximum Pell Grant student who enrolls in 12 credits in the fall and but reduces their spring enrollment to 9 credits before the start of the spring semester, their spring payment will be based on 75% enrollment intensity for spring, rather than the full-time Scheduled Award. 

• Full-time Scheduled Pell Grant award: $7,395 

Disbursement Schedule (Less than full-time) 

Pell Grant Eligibility Limitations 

Students become ineligible for the Federal Pell Grant upon completion of a bachelor's degree or after receiving six years of full-time grants, whichever comes first. Adjustments to the grant amount may occur if a student changes their credit load before the 16th class day of the semester, with repayments required for any returned portion of the grant after that period. Students must begin attendance/academic activity in all classes. If a student is discovered to have not begun attendance and/or engage in academic activity, we are required to adjust the Pell Grant. If a student earns an F in a course and the instructor reports the F was based on non-attendance, we are also required to adjust the Pell Grant based on an NF (non-attendance fail) grade. Therefore, it is vital that you begin attendance/academic activity in all your courses. 

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 will 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 referred to as “year-round Pell.”  

Please note that you can receive the Federal Pell Grant for no more than 12 terms full-time terms or the equivalent (roughly six years). You will receive a notice if you’re getting close to your limit.   

If your parent died while serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or as a public safety officer, you may be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds.  For 2023-2024, contact our office for details. For 2024-25, you may be eligible to receive a Maximum Pell Grant, even if you are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant based on your Student Aid Index, but 

• you meet the remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements; 

• your parent or guardian died in the line of duty while either (a) serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001; or (b) actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer; and 

• you are under 33 years old as of January 1 of the year prior to the start of the school year (i.e. January 1, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year). 

Important note: these are the basics for tradition, term-based students.  There are more involved regulations for correspondence, consortium, mixed enrollment, incarcerated, summer, cross-over, etc.  

SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANT (FSEOG)

To be eligible for the FSEOG, students must also qualify for the Federal Pell Grant and typically have an EFC of 0. For the 2024-2025 academic year. Students enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) are eligible to receive the grant. 

UM NEED GRANT

Students with demonstrated financial need admitted to UM may be eligible for the UM Need Grant, in addition to the UMAAS scholarship. This grant requires filing the FAFSA and awarding is limited to Montana resident students who began attending UM in the Summer of 2019 or later. The grant amount may be adjusted if a student's need-eligibility changes.  

Students who transfer to Missoula College or becoming a distance-only student would result in forfeiting the UM Need Grant. Additional need-based aid and/or scholarships may affect the UM Need Grant amount. Recipients cease to be eligible upon completion of a bachelor's degree. The grant is disbursed if/when a student is enrolled full-time (12 or more credits). Courses from the School of Extended and Lifelong Learning cannot count toward full-time enrollment for the UM Need Grant. It is not available for use in the summer term. Post-baccalaureate and graduate students are ineligible. 

TEACH GRANT

The federal TEACH Grant, up to $4000 per academic year, is provided as a forgivable loan to students planning to teach high-need subjects in low-income schools. A TEACH Grant-eligible program is a program of study that is designed to prepare you to teach as a highly qualified teacher in a high-need field and that leads to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or is a postbaccalaureate program.  

A two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree is considered a program that leads to a bachelor’s degree. A postbaccalaureate program is not TEACH-Grant-eligible if it is offered by a school that also offers a bachelor’s degree in education. Only undergraduate and graduate students in specific majors within UM's Department of Curriculum and Instruction are eligible, while post-baccalaureate students are not. Application requires submission of UM's TEACH Grant Application and completion of an Agreement to Serve (ATS). Failure to fulfill the teaching requirement results in the grant converting to an unsubsidized loan with retroactive interest. Go to www.studentaid.gov for more information. 

OTHER STATE GRANTS

Most states only allow students to receive grants if attending schools within their state. However, some states, such as Vermont and the District of Columbia, permit students to receive grants even if attending out of state. Application for out-of-state grants is made through the respective state's education agency.