Federal Grants

A Federal Pell Grant is money from the federal government that you do not need to repay. They are awarded to undergraduate students who display financial need.

How Much Money Can I Receive? 
Your Pell grant amount is determined by:

• Your SAI
• Cost of Attendance
• Enrollment
• Your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less

How Do I Apply?

To apply, submit your FAFSA. No other paperwork is necessary.

Students who have received the equivalent of 12 or more full-time semesters of Federal Pell grant will no longer be eligible for federal grant funding (starting July 2012.)

Students who have reached the Federal Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) limit of 600% are no longer eligible for additional Pell Grant funding.

Students who have already earned their first bachelor's degree are not eligible for additional Federal Pell Grant funding.

 

For more information, please read Federal Aid Rights and Responsibilities.

 

A federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grant (FSEOG) is for undergraduate students who have demonstrated exceptional financial need and are receiving the Pell grant. Similar to the Pell grant, the supplemental grant does not need to be paid back.

What is the difference between the FSEOG and the Pell Grant?

The U.S. Department of Education guarantees that each participating school will receive enough money to pay the federal Pell grant for each eligible student.  There is no guarantee that every eligible student will receive the FSEOG.  Students are paid based on availability of funds.

How Do I Apply?

To apply, submit your FAFSA. No other paperwork is necessary.  Because of the limited nature of these funds, the key to receiving this grant is to apply for FAFSA as early as you can.

A Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is different from other federal student grants because it requires you to take certain kinds of classes in order to get the grant, and then work a certain kind of job to keep the grant from turning into a loan.

If TEACH grant recipients do not fulfill their teaching obligations they must repay the grant as if it was an unsubsidized federal Direct loan including all accrued interest.

Am I Eligible?

Eligibility is limited to students enrolled in approved TEACH Grant eligible programs at Utah State University.

· Undergraduate students are generally required to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 or meet alternative federal academic qualification requirements.

· Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant at Utah State University.

· Graduate students enrolled in qualifying teacher preparation programs may also be eligible.

TEACH Grant recipients must agree to complete a federal teaching service obligation or the grant may convert to a federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with accrued interest. TEACH Grant service obligations and eligibility requirements are established by federal regulations and may change based on U.S. Department of Education guidance.

How Do I Apply?

1. Submit your FAFSA
2. Contact us to offer a federal TEACH grant on your account
3. Complete the TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling online
4. Accept the TEACH grant on MyUSU
5. Sign the TEACH Grant Agreement To Serve or Repay (Agreement) online

You may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if you are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant on the basis of your EFC/SAI, but:

• you meet the remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements;
• your parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11; and
• you were under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent’s or guardian’s death.

To apply, please submit your FAFSA.

Under the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship, beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, a Pell-eligible student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while performing as a public safety officer is eligible to receive a maximum Pell Grant for the award year for which the determination of eligibility is made.

Eligibility

• Students that submit a FAFSA with an SAI eligible for Pell Grant.
• Be less than 24 years old OR enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of their parent or permanent guardian’s death.
• The deceased parent must have died in the line of duty as a Public Safety Officer.

To Apply
1. Submit a FAFSA
2. Review the eligibility requirements to verify your eligibility
3. Complete the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Form
4. Securely upload your completed form
5. Additional eligibility documentation may be required to confirm federal eligibility criteria.

The process can be renewed annually with each FAFSA, as long as you maintain Pell eligibility and are under 24 years old.

Federal regulations allow students to receive aid for only one repeat of a previously passed class. This does not prevent you from taking a class as many times as you need. However, when you register, Banner will disregard any such repeated classes when disbursing aid.

For example, if you received a D in Math 1050, and wished to improve your grade, you can receive aid for one repeat of that class.  Once you have taken it again - even if you still need a higher grade for your major - aid will not be available for that class again.

This regulation may not apply if you did not receive federal aid the previous time(s) you took the course. You can work with your assigned Federal Aid Counselor if this is the case.

The option for verifying academic participation is not available during the refund period, where dropping a class will not result in a W grade on the transcript. Also, a student cannot document participation for classes that have not officially begun; for example, if you drop a second 7-week session course during the first seven weeks of the semester, you cannot document that you participated academically in that course.

Q. Can I still receive a Pell Grant if I attend less than full-time?Yes. Students enrolled less than full-time may still qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, but the amount may be reduced based on enrollment level and federal Pell Grant calculation rules.

Q. If I drop classes during the first 20% of the term (refund period,) will I owe money back?
Yes. If your enrollment status drops (for example, from full-time to three-quarter time) after we have disbursed your grant to you, some (or all) of your grant may be reduced. You will have to pay part (or all) of your grant back to USU. Please note if you drop classes before they officially start (for example: classes in the second 7-week session) you will also have to pay part (or all) of your grant back. In some cases, a tuition refund may be enough to repay the grant. Students who completely withdraw from all classes may also be subject to a Return of Title IV Funds calculation, which could require repayment of a portion of their federal financial aid.

Q. What happens if I withdraw from all classes?
Federal regulations require schools to determine how much federal financial aid a student earned if they withdraw from all classes before completing the term. This process is called Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4). Depending on the date of withdrawal, you may be required to repay a portion of your federal grants or loans.

Q. Can I receive a Pell Grant during the summer?
Eligible students may receive Federal Pell Grant funding during the summer term if they meet federal eligibility requirements and have remaining Pell Grant eligibility available for the award year.

Q. What happens if I do not complete my TEACH Grant service obligation?
If you do not complete the required teaching service obligation or fail to meet federal TEACH Grant requirements, the grant may convert to a federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with accrued interest.