The Federal Pell Grant is for undergraduate, matriculated students who are enrolled in at least one credit and meet the financial need guidelines of the program. Eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant is limited to students who have not received their first bachelor's degree, or who are enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs that lead to certain certification or licensure, as well as to those who demonstrate financial need, according to the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet all other eligibility requirements.

Students are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and will then receive the results of their FAFSA directly from the Federal Processing Center. Shortly thereafter, the Office of Financial Aid receives the same information electronically. Awards are based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by a federal methodology, the cost of attendance, the number of credits attempted in a given semester, and the federal appropriation for the program, as determined by Congress. To maintain eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, students must apply by submitting the FAFSA annually, continue to meet the financial need guidelines and eligibility rules, and maintain the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards as established by New York Institute of Technology. Students must also not be in default on any student loan or owe a repayment of Federal Pell Grant funds for attendance in a prior period. Students may not receive a Federal Pell Grant from more than one institution at a time.

Federal Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU)

Effective as of the 2012–2013 Award Year, the U.S. Department of Education has established regulations for the duration of a student's eligibility to receive a Federal Pell Grant. A student may receive up to 12 full-time semesters (six years or its equivalent) of a Federal Pell Grant. This regulation applies to all students eligible for Federal Pell Grants HEA section 401(c)(5) and Title 34 CFR 690. If the institution receives notification from the U.S. Department of Education that a Federal Pell Grant applicant has reached, or is close to, the maximum lifetime award, the institution and the U.S. Department of Education will notify the student, and the Office of Financial Aid will adjust all awards as necessary.

Reference: 2023–2024 FSA Student Handbook, Volume 7, Chapter 8, p. 46

Year-Round Federal Pell Grants

Federal Pell Grants are offered during the fall and spring semester for eligible students. Effective beginning with the 2017–2018 award year, students may be eligible for Federal Pell Grant funds for up to 150 percent of the Federal Pell Grant Scheduled Award for an award year. This provision of Section 401(b)(8) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) as added by section 310 of the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2017 allows students to receive a Federal Pell Grant during a summer period of enrollment if certain conditions are met.

To be eligible for additional grant funds during a summer period of enrollment, a student must be otherwise eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant for the payment period and must be enrolled at least half-time in the payment periods for which the additional grant funds in excess of 100 percent of the student's Pell Grant Scheduled Award are received.

Any additional grant funds received will be included in determining the student's Federal Pell Grant duration of eligibility and Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).

Reference: 2023–2024 FSA Student Handbook, Volume 7, Chapter 5, p. 30