How much Pell Grant will you get?

    Enter your Student Aid Index and how many credits you plan to take. The calculator applies the official 2026–27 Pell Grant rules and shows where your SAI sits.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

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    Your details

    Your Student Aid Index (SAI)

    The number the FAFSA uses to measure what your family can contribute. It can be negative.

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    How many credits will you take?

    Pell is paid in proportion to your enrollment intensity: credits taken compared with full-time.

    Nothing you type leaves your browser. The page address holds only your SAI and enrollment choice, so you can share the result.

    Your result appears here

    Enter your SAI (or tap an example) to see your estimated 2026–27 Pell Grant. Not sure of your SAI? Use the link on the left.

    The 2026–27 rules, in plain English

    Every rule and amount comes from the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Checked November 5, 2026.

    1. Your SAI sets the award

      For 2026–27 (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) the maximum Pell Grant is $7,395 and the minimum is $740. An SAI of 0 or below gets the maximum. Above 0, the award is the maximum minus your SAI, rounded to the nearest $5, as long as that is at least the minimum.

    2. Credits scale it

      The full-time figure is your Scheduled Award. If you take fewer credits, your college multiplies it by your enrollment intensity: credits taken divided by full-time credits, as a whole percent.

    3. Two limits

      An SAI of 14,790 or more (twice the maximum award) rules out Pell entirely. Families with income under set shares of the federal poverty guideline can qualify for the maximum or minimum award whatever the SAI; the FAFSA checks this for you.

    Worked example

    1. SAI: 3,000. $7,395 − $3,000 = $4,395, which is above the $740 minimum.
    2. Rounded to the nearest $5, the full-time Scheduled Award is $4,395.
    3. At half-time (50% intensity) the yearly award is $4,395 × 50% = $2,198.

    Assumptions and limits

    • You are an undergraduate who has not yet earned a bachelor's degree and meets the general federal aid rules (for example citizenship or eligible noncitizen status).
    • Your SAI is the one on your FAFSA Submission Summary or from the Federal Student Aid Estimator. The calculator does not work out an SAI from income.
    • The award is not limited by your college's cost of attendance; at very low-cost programs it can be.
    • You have Pell eligibility left: the lifetime limit is the equivalent of 6 full-time years.

    Worked out from the published 2026–27 federal rules. Your aid office sets your actual award, and your loan servicer sets your payments.

    Official sources

    Financial aid glossary Sticker vs net price by state Plain-text version for AI assistants

    Next step: put it in one report

    The tool stays free. The optional report puts your own numbers in one document. Pricing details

    Aid & Loan Plan$14 once

    A PDF that applies the 2026–27 federal aid rules to you and up to three colleges: Pell Grant, loan limits, the gap left and repayment.

    What the plan includes See a sample report

    Guides that use this tool

    Step-by-step explanations of the figures, written from the same federal data.

    Frequently asked questions

    Short answers about how the numbers work.

    What is the maximum Pell Grant for 2026–27?

    $7,395 for a full-time student for the year, set by the U.S. Department of Education for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The minimum award is $740, which is 10% of the maximum.

    What SAI do you need to get a Pell Grant?

    For 2026–27, an SAI of 0 or below gets the maximum award, and an SAI from 1 to 6,655 gets a partial award. Between 6,656 and 14,789, you get the minimum award only if your family's income passes the federal poverty-guideline test. An SAI of 14,790 or more means no Pell Grant.

    How is a Pell Grant calculated?

    Subtract your SAI from the maximum award and round to the nearest $5; that is your full-time Scheduled Award. Your college then multiplies it by your enrollment intensity if you take fewer than full-time credits.

    Can part-time students get a Pell Grant?

    Yes. The award is prorated by enrollment intensity. A student with the maximum award who takes 75% of full-time credits would get $5,546 for the year.

    Where do I find my Student Aid Index?

    After you file the FAFSA, your SAI appears on your FAFSA Submission Summary at studentaid.gov. Before you file, the official Federal Student Aid Estimator at studentaid.gov/aid-estimator gives an estimated SAI.

    Do you have to pay back a Pell Grant?

    Normally no. A Pell Grant is not a loan. You may have to return part of it if you withdraw early in a term or receive more than you were eligible for.

    How many years can you get a Pell Grant?

    Up to the equivalent of 6 full-time years (600% of a Scheduled Award) over your lifetime.

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