Federal Pell Grant

Geographic Scope: United States

Eligibility:

• Undergraduate students seeking their first degree
• Demonstrate financial need as determined by FAFSA
• Priority deadline: January 15
• Full-time enrollment status (12+ credit hours = 100%)
• Maximum lifetime eligibility: 6 years or 12 semesters of full-time enrollment
• Student Aid Index (SAI) less than twice the maximum Pell Grant award amount
• Cannot receive non-federal grants or scholarships covering full Cost of Attendance
• Exception for dependents of deceased service members and safety officers

Program Details:

• Gift funds that do not require repayment
• Based on enrollment intensity (pro-rated for part-time status)
• Students can receive up to 150% of scheduled offer for summer if enrolled at least half-time (6 hours)
• Pell Grant eligibility requirements still apply for summer awards
• All summer awards count toward Lifetime Pell Grant Eligibility (LEU)

Effective July 1, 2026 Changes:

• Foreign earned income exclusion added to adjusted gross income calculation
• Eligibility linked to family size and federal poverty guidelines from tax year on FAFSA
• Phone: (210) 458-8000 or 1-800-669-0919
• Email: financialaid@utsa.edu
• Main Campus: JPL 110, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249
• Downtown Campus: FS 2.400, 501 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78207

How to Apply

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
   • Submit FAFSA to apply for Pell Grant
   • Priority deadline: January 15
2. Track PELL Usage
   • Monitor your Pell Grant usage at the National Student Loan Data System
3. Summer Pell Application
   • Submit Summer Application for Financial Aid through myUTSA Account
   • Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress
   • Must be enrolled at least half-time (6 hours)

Required Materials

• FAFSA completion