Financial Aid – Home

Federal Pell Grant Changes

Lifetime Eligibility Notice 

The U.S. Department of Education recently established new regulations which reduce the
duration of a student's lifetime eligibility to receive Pell Grant from 18 full-time semesters (or its equivalent) to 12 full-time semesters (or its equivalent). This provision applies to all Federal Pell Grant eligible students effective 2012-13.

What does this mean to you? 

An eligible student can receive the Federal Pell Grant until the earliest of a bachelors degree or until the student has received the Federal Pell Grant for an equivalent of 12 full-time semesters. This limitation includes the percentage of Federal Pell Grant the student has received from all post-secondary institutions regardless of when the student began receiving aid. Since receipt of a full Federal Pell Grant annual award is equivalent to 100% (based on two (50%) full-time semesters per award year), 12 full-time semesters equates to 600%.

The following is applicable to Governors State University:

• Each full-time semester (12 or more credits) that the student receives the Federal Pell Grant represents 50% of an annual award.
• Each three-quarter semester (9 to 11 credits) that the student receives the Federal Pell Grant represents 37.5 % of an annual award.
• Each half-time semester (6 to 8 credits) that the student receives the Federal Pell Grant represents 25% of an annual award.
• Each part-time semester (1 to 5 credits) that the student receives the Federal Pell Grant represents 12.5% of an annual award.

In mid-April, the U.S. Department of Education began will begin sending e-mail messages to all 2012-13 FAFSA applicants who appear to be Pell Grant eligible and are in excess of 450% of their Pell Grant lifetime eligibility. This process will be repeated weekly until July for FAFSA filers and for filers making corrections to their FAFSA information.

Tracking Your Lifetime Eligibility Used on NSLDS 

You can find your Lifetime Eligibility Used for the Federal Pell Grant by going to the web site www.nslds.ed.gov and creating a student account. The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) central database for student aid. NSLDS receives data from schools, guaranty agencies, the Direct Loan program, and other Department of ED programs. NSLDS Student Access provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants so that recipients of Title IV Aid can access and inquire about their Title IV loans and/or grant data.