Federal Grant Information

The following grants are direct gifts to students which do not have to be repaid, unless you withdraw or have an overpayment.

Federal Pell Grant

The amount of the Pell Grant varies according to the student's need as determined by the FAFSA and is available to all students who qualify. Once Pell funds are paid, additional Pell funds will not be disbursed for increased enrollment in the same semester. You can only receive Pell funds at one college or university during each semester you are enrolled.

Lifetime Eligibility Limit for Pell Grant (LEU)

Students are limited to 12 semesters (or 600%) of Pell Grant eligibility during their lifetime. This affects all students regardless of when or where they received their first Pell Grant. This limit is tracked by the U.S. Department of Education.

Regardless of the Pell Grant amount, if you receive the full year amount then you have received 100%.

For example, your Pell Grant for the year is for $4,000 and you receive $2,000 in Fall, $1,000 in Spring and the remaining $1,000 in Summer. You have received the entire $4,000 or 100% for the year.

The 600% total eligibility applies at all schools and colleges. However, once you have earned a bachelor degree, you are no longer eligible for a Pell Grant even if you haven’t received the entire 600% eligibility. In addition, you must also meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress standards to remain eligible each year.

Declining a Pell Grant

Students have the right to decline all or part of their Pell Grant awards.  To preserve future Pell Grant eligibility, a student may choose to return a previously received Pell Grant award.  We do not recommend you do this. Students may not return any Pell Grant funds from a prior academic award year.  

To decline your Pell Grant, submit a signed written statement clearly indicating you are declining/returning Pell funds for which you were otherwise eligible and that those funds may not be available once the academic award year is over to the Financial Aid Office.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

This grant is provided through an allocation of federal money to Butler. It is a campus-based program and awards are limited. Certain priority dates and restrictions apply. For information on this grant, visit the official FSEOG page of the U.S. Department of Education.