28% of Undergrads Receive Federal Pell Grant
Paying for a UC Berkeley education is within your reach. Federal Pell Grants are federally funded grants that help more than 7 million students pay their educational expenses each year.
How to Apply
Apply for the Federal Pell Grant each October for the upcoming school year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- The FAFSA for the 2025-2026 award year is available from October 1st, 2024 through June 30th, 2025. The 2026-2027 FAFSA is scheduled to be available October 1st, 2025.
Read the most current Federal Pell Grant information from the Department of Education, including award amounts.
Beginning with the 2024-2025 award year Pell grants are awarded based on the Student Aid Index (SAI) as determined by your FAFSA. If initially ineligible for a Pell grant, but your SAI changes during the year making you eligible, your Pell grant award will be determined based on both the SAI, enrollment intensity (total number of enrolled units), or completed units (if the term has ended) at the time of awarding.
Please note:
- If you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant one will be awarded to you at the beginning of the year. The expectation is that you will enroll in at least 12 units per term to receive a full-time award.
- Federal requirements establish that all Pell recipients verify their Academic Integrity (AI) in all their courses. If AI is not verified by the fifth week of the term your Pell grant for that term will be reduced until such time that AI is verified.
- We measure your enrollment for Federal Pell Grant at the end of the fifth week each semester. If you are awarded an initial Pell grant (Conditional Federal Pell Grant or Federal Pell Grant) before the end of the fifth week of the semester and are enrolled in less than 12 units at the end of the fifth week, your Pell award will be reduced based on your enrollment intensity (number of units in which you are enrolled).
- If you are awarded an initial Federal Pell Grant (conditional Federal Pell Grant or Federal Pell Grant) after the fifth week of the semester, your Pell award will be based on your enrollment intensity at the time the Pell is awarded.
- If you are awarded a Federal Pell (conditional Federal Pell Grant or Federal Pell Grant) grant you will be required to complete an Academic Integrity Survey for each course in which you are enrolled. If this survey is not completed for each course by the fifth week of the semester your Pell grant will be reduced.
- In compliance with federal regulations, students who did not attend a course in a given semester are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant for that course. If we learn that you have not attended a course or courses, your Pell award will be reduced.
- If your Pell award is first awarded after the end of a semester, the award amount will be based on the total units completed for the term.