The Pell Grant is a need-based federal financial aid program managed by the U.S. Department of Education to help eligible low-income undergraduate students pay for college costs. Funds may be used for tuition, fees, room and board, and other educational expenses. Pell Grants usually are awarded only to students who have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree.  In some cases, a student who enrolls in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program may be eligible to receive a Pell Grant.

Pell grant money comes from the Pell Grant program, which is the federal government’s largest grant program.  The program is named after former US Senator Claiborne Pell, who was the main sponsor of the legislation that created the program. Pell grants were formerly called Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOGs). [See CFDA Number: 84.063]

To receive a grant, an individual must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Unlike a loan, a Pell grant does not have to be repaid. The amount of the grant depends on an individual’s financial need, costs to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less. The federal government sets the range of funding permissible for Pell Grants.

The enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) established a new Workforce Pell program on July 1, 2026, to allow students in short-term job training programs to receive Pell Grant funding. The Workforce Pell program opens doors for students in short-term, skills-focused programs to access financial aid, who previously were not eligible for any Pell. Previously, only programs lasting at least 16 weeks were eligible for Pell funds; now, programs lasting 8-15 weeks are also eligible. 

The bill also included updates to FAFSA eligibility criteria, implemented with the 2026–27 academic year starting October 1, 2025. 

See Topic: Pell Grant, Short-Term Pell, Workforce Pell