Pell Grant Calculator

About the Pell Grant Calculator

This Pell Grant calculator estimates how much federal Pell Grant money you can receive for the 2026–27 award year. Enter the Student Aid Index (SAI) from your FAFSA Submission Summary, your dependency status, the adjusted gross income on the tax return the FAFSA used and your family size, then the credits you plan to take each term. The calculator applies the maximum- and minimum-Pell income tests, works out your scheduled (full-time, full-year) award and then prorates it for part-time enrollment.

It is for undergraduates and families checking an aid offer, comparing a full-time and a part-time schedule, or planning ahead once the FAFSA has produced an SAI. A Pell Grant is gift aid: it does not have to be repaid unless you withdraw early or receive more than you are eligible for.

Figures are for the 2026–27 award year: a maximum award of $7,395, a minimum of $740, the new rule that an SAI of $14,790 (twice the maximum) or more rules out Pell, and the 2024 HHS poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and DC. Your school makes the final award and also checks your enrollment status, satisfactory academic progress and remaining lifetime Pell eligibility (600%), which this estimate does not model. Alaska and Hawaii residents have higher poverty guidelines.

With the default inputs, the estimated annual pell grant is $4,395.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.

How to use the pell grant calculator

1Enter the SAI shown on your FAFSA Submission Summary.
2Choose your dependency status and enter the AGI and family size reported on the FAFSA.
3Enter the credits you plan to take each term and your school’s full-time load.
4Add your school’s full-time cost of attendance.
5Read your annual and per-term Pell Grant and how it was determined.

Formula and method

Scheduled = round₅($7,395 − SAI), if ≥ $740 | EI = round(credits ÷ full-time credits × 100%) ≤ 100% | Annual = Scheduled × EI

First the calculator checks whether you qualify for the maximum Pell Grant automatically: not required to file a federal tax return, or AGI above zero and at or below 175% of the poverty guideline for your family size (225% for single parents). Otherwise the scheduled award is the $7,395 maximum minus your SAI, rounded to the nearest $5, provided the result is at least the $740 minimum. If it is not, you can still get the $740 minimum when AGI is at or below 275% of the guideline (325% for dependents of a single parent, 350% for independent parents who are not single parents, 400% for independent single parents). From 2026–27 an SAI of $14,790 or more rules out Pell entirely, even when income would otherwise qualify for the maximum. The scheduled award cannot exceed the full-time cost of attendance.

The scheduled award assumes full-time study for a full year. Your annual award is the scheduled award multiplied by your enrollment intensity — credits taken divided by the school’s full-time load, rounded to the nearest whole percent and capped at 100%. The per-term amount splits the annual award evenly across semesters or quarters.

SAI: Student Aid Index from the FAFSA
round₅: Round to the nearest $5
EI: Enrollment intensity (percent of full-time)

Worked examples

Dependent student, SAI 3,000, full time

AGI of $60,000 is above 175% of the $31,200 poverty guideline for four ($54,600), so the award is calculated: $7,395 − 3,000 = $4,395 for a full-time year, or $2,197.50 per semester.

Part-time: 9 credits with SAI 1,000

The scheduled award is $7,395 − 1,000 = $6,395. Nine of twelve credits is 75% enrollment intensity, so the annual Pell Grant is $6,395 × 75% = $4,796.25.

High SAI but moderate income — minimum Pell

$7,395 − 7,000 = $395, which is below the $740 minimum. But AGI of $80,000 is under 275% of the $31,200 guideline ($85,800), so the student still receives the $740 minimum Pell Grant.

Single-parent family under 225% of poverty

The 2024 guideline for three is $25,820; 225% of it is $58,095, so AGI of $40,000 qualifies for the maximum $7,395. Seven of twelve credits is 58.3%, rounded to 58%, so the annual award is $7,395 × 58% = $4,289.10.

SAI above twice the maximum

An SAI of 15,000 is at or above $14,790 (twice the $7,395 maximum), so from 2026–27 the student cannot receive a Pell Grant.

Low income but SAI above $14,790

AGI of $40,000 is below 175% of the poverty guideline for four, which would normally mean the maximum award. But the One Big Beautiful Bill Act bars anyone with an SAI of $14,790 or more (for example because of large assets) from Pell, so the award is $0.

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 and the minimum is $740 (10% of the maximum). The amount you get depends on your SAI, income, cost of attendance and enrollment intensity.

What SAI do I need to get a Pell Grant?+

An SAI of $6,655 or less produces a calculated Pell Grant ($7,395 minus your SAI, at least $740). A higher SAI can still get the $740 minimum if family AGI is below the minimum-Pell poverty line, but an SAI of $14,790 or more rules Pell out from 2026–27.

Can I get a Pell Grant if I go to school part time?+

Yes. Part-time students receive a prorated award based on enrollment intensity. For example, at a school where 12 credits is full time, taking 6 credits (50%) gives half of your scheduled award.

Do I have to pay a Pell Grant back?+

Generally no. Pell Grants are gift aid. You may have to return part of it if you withdraw before completing more than 60% of a term, or if you receive more than you were eligible for.

How many years can I receive a Pell Grant?+

Pell eligibility is limited to the equivalent of six full-time years, tracked as 600% Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). A full-time, full-year award uses 100%; a half-time year uses 50%.

Does a 3-credit summer class count?+

Year-round Pell can pay for summer terms, up to 150% of a scheduled award in one year, if you are enrolled at least half time. Ask your financial aid office how your school assigns summer terms.

Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.

Sources

Annual Pell Grant by credits per term