Federal Financial Aid Assistance

Students must meet the eligibility requirements which include:

• A current FAFSA on file with an eligible Student Aid Index (SAI)
• Submitted all required documentation requested from the Financial Aid office including but not limited to verification documentation
• Not in loan default
• Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• An eligible citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Must be enrolled in an eligible program of study for Title IV financial aid (the Pell Grant is awarded only to first-time undergraduates)

The Pell award is the foundation of the student's financial aid package. Therefore, students requesting financial assistance during their enrollment are required to establish Federal Pell Grant eligibility before additional determination of funds eligibility is made and/ or awarded. In order to determine eligibility for any federal financial aid program, students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have the results sent to TTC.

TTC must have an official Student Aid Index (SAI) to determine eligibility. Students who qualify for a Pell Grant may receive a grant as high as $7,395 or as low as $740. Students are notified of the Pell Grant eligibility through an email indicating that their financial aid awards have been posted to the Financial Aid Self-Service module.

Students who are enrolled on a less-than-half-time basis may receive a Pell Grant. The enrollment status of students is not determined until after the end of the Drop/Add period of each term and the Never Attended Period. At that time, the actual amount of Pell Grant is transmitted for each student. Disbursement occurs only when the enrollment matches the appropriate Pell award.

Pell awards are recalculated when there is a change in the Student Aid Index (SAI), when the enrollment status changes between terms within the same award year, and when the cost of attendance changes. Credit hours enrolled are monitored through the end of the Drop/Add period and the Never Attended Period. Changes in enrollment status during this period will result in a change in Pell eligibility if credit hours enrolled are reduced. However, no Pell adjustments are made after transmittal unless it is a result of R2T4, which refers to the calculation required when a recipient of Title IV aid withdraws from an institution during a payment period/period of enrollment.

Students must submit the FAFSA and have electronic data submitted as early as possible to allow time to process the award. Students who submit eligible FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS), or have electronic Pell data submitted to TTC after the end of an enrollment period for which the student met all the necessary criteria, will receive a retroactive (late) award provided the student's file is complete prior to the last day of classes for the academic year but falls within the 120-day eligibility period. Students who do not use their entire Pell allocation during the Fall and Spring semesters may use the balance during the following summer period if eligible.

Students whose SARs indicate near Pell lifetime eligibility (LEU) are notified by email of their eligibility at the time of awarding. At the end of each semester, as part of the reconciliation process, the Pell Coordinator updates the electronic file with the percentage that the student has used since initial awarding. Students who have met the Pell LEU of 600% are notified via email and they are not awarded. The notification refers to the guidance provided by the Department of Education. In this case, the Pell Grant is not awarded even though the FAFSA may reflect some eligibility. 

The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based form of financial aid provided to undergraduate students to assist with the cost of their education. Eligibility and award amounts are determined based on family income, family size, and other factors outlined in the Student Aid Index (SAI) and federal poverty guidelines.

Steps to Qualify for a Pell Grant:

1. Maximum Pell Grant Eligibility - Students may qualify for the Maximum Pell Grant award if they meet specific criteria based on:

• Family Size and Adjusted Gross Income (AGI): Applicants must fall within income limits tied to federal poverty guidelines.
• Student Aid Index (SAI): Students with an SAI between -1,500 and $0 may receive the Maximum Pell Grant.

2.  Pell Grant Based on SAI

• Applicants who do not qualify for the Maximum Pell Grant can still receive a Pell Grant if their SAI exceeds the maximum Pell Grant award for the award year.
• The formula used is Maximum Pell Grant Amount - SAI = Pell Grant Award (for full-time enrollment). The Pell Grant amount will be prorated if enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours (less than full-time). The grant will be adjusted accordingly if the applicant’s Cost of Attendance (COA) is less than the calculated Pell Grant award.

3. Minimum Pell Grant Eligibility - Applicants who exceed the income thresholds for the Maximum Pell Grant may still qualify for a Minimum Pell Grant. This is determined by:

• Family Size and AGI: Considerations based on poverty guidelines.
• The Minimum Pell Grant amount is provided to students meeting eligibility requirements even if their SAI exceeds the maximum Pell Grant award.

Special Considerations for Pell Grant Eligibility:

1. Non-Filers

• Independent students (and their spouses, if applicable) who do not file taxes and dependent students whose parents are non-filers may still qualify for Pell Grants.

2. Children of Deceased Veterans and Public Safety Officers

Students under age 33 may qualify for a Pell Grant if:

• A parent died in the line of duty as a member of the armed forces after Sept. 11, 2001.
• A parent died in the line of duty as a public safety officer.

Automatic Pell Grant Eligibility:

Students from households meeting specific income thresholds are automatically eligible for Pell Grants:

• Families Earning Less Than 175% of the Federal Poverty Level: Students receive a Maximum Pell Grant.
• Single Parents Earning Less Than 225% of the Federal Poverty Level: Students receive a Maximum Pell Grant.
• Minimum Pell Grants: Guaranteed for students from households earning below 275%, 325%, 350%, or 400% of the federal poverty level, depending on family structure.

The student’s SAI determines Pell Grant awards in the maximum and minimum amounts.

Award Distribution:

• Once the annual Federal Pell Grant amount is determined, it will be distributed evenly between the fall and spring semesters.
• Proration of Enrollment Intensity: Pell Grant amounts are adjusted based on the number of credit hours a student is enrolled in rather than using fixed enrollment levels (full-time, three-quarter time, half-time, or less than half-time).

For more detailed information and to determine your eligibility, please contact the Financial Aid office or visit https://studentaid.gov/.

• Students must first be Pell Grant eligible to receive the FSEOG Grant (see above).
  NOTE: Not all students who receive the Pell Grant will receive the FSEOG Grant.
• The FSEOG grant pays based on the number of credit hours enrolled but must be enrolled in at least 1 eligible credit hour per semester.
• This grant has limited funds, which is why it is important to complete the FAFSA early. Students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov and have the results sent to TTC.
• Students with the greatest need who are enrolled full time typically receive $500 for Fall and Spring semesters.
• FSEOG grants are awarded only to students who qualify for a Pell Grant with priority given to students who are full need, completed the FAFSA the earliest and submitted any required paperwork to the Financial Aid office.

• Students must submit a FAFSA for every academic year and must submit any required documentation if needed by the Financial Aid office. Since each FAFSA requires prior-prior year taxes, there is no guarantee that a Pell Grant would be identical in different years.
• Students must maintain Student Academic Progress (SAP), be in an eligible program of study and enrolled in at least 1 eligible credit hour in their eligible program, and meet all other eligibility requirements. 
• Students who demonstrate exceptional need according to their Student Aid Index (SAI) and have a fully completed FAFSA, could be strong candidates for the award. It is always best to complete the FAFSA early since the funds are limited.