Pell Grant

I work part time in a financial aid office and schools do handle disbursements differently. Once you get your Student Aid Report from FAFSA (Department of Education) it will give you an amount that you are eligible for (not awarded). That information is then sent to the schools you have added to your list, the school codes you put on your FAFSA application.

Once the schools get that information they must verify that information unless you are automatically packaged and awarded. If you have been selected to be verified (this is chosen by FAFSA at random, typically 30% of students). You will have to provide copies of your tax return or other documents. Once the counselor has done this process, you will receive an award letter. You must accept this award at the school you are attending since you cannot receive pell grants or stafford loans from more than one institution.

Schools disburse students money differently but on the award letter it will state how this is handled. As far as the school that I work, the tuition is paid first, then about 5 days later book money is sent to the student on the schools credit/debit card and this amount varies since awards vary. The school does not give you the remaining amount until you have been "certified" or marked as attending classes, usually by the 12th day of class. The awards are based on a full time schedule so it sounds like you are half time at 6 hours so you would receive half of your award.

If you are not able to get a hold of someone at your school, you may want to speak with them in person. I know we have more than 100 messages just on the main line to return each day, plus the students that are waiting in line before we even get there each day. I had the same issues with the department and did not understand -- now that I work there I am amazed at how busy we are.

I know this is long but hope to have answered your questions.

One, a grant is not a loan so you will not have bills as some have said. Depending on the number of hours you take, you will get a percentage of the full grant applied to your account (ie. of $2000/semester grant you will get all of it applied if you take 12 or more hours. If you take 9-11 hours you will get 75% of that applied. If you take 6-8 hours, you will only get 50% applied. Most schools will also allow only pell grants to be disbursed at the 25% level, but you should check on this if you're planning on taking less than 6 hours). After your tuition costs have been deducted from the amount you received, most institutions will send you a check for the remainder. This is to cover books, housing, equipment, and other supplies for school. You will get a tax form in January to help in filing your taxes and claiming this grant.

Congratulations on going to school! What a wonderful decision for you and your family:). I have been taking classes for two years now and will have my Associates this fall!

The pell grant like all other loan and or school money granted goes into an account that the school uses to pay your Tuition and book fees, if your school does what mine does then, you will get a check for the remander after all fees have been taken out. I go to National College in OHIO

According to the amount you got and the class load you are taking, the money will be divided among the semesters and you will get a certain amount for each. I got 3800.00 in grants and I am taking 4 credit hours. I will get 575.00 for each semester if I only take 4 hours in each. If I take more, the amount will go up. You will get the money, either by check or direct deposit and you can spend it as you see fit. They will pay for your classes first and you get the balance. You pay for your supplies and the balance is yours to do with as you please.

Liz

Hi Kelli. I've attended many years of college and have been awarded pell grants and loans every years. Here's what usually happens with financial aid, pell grant included. The institution receives a large lump sum based on the number of students that are awarded a pell grant and other federal school loans. The school then applies your pell /loan to your tuition account including lab fees, student fees, etc, etc. In my experience, the pell grant may or may not be enough to cover your books. IF there are any funds left over from your pell grant after tuition and other fees have been paid, the learning institution will issue you a difference check (may be issued in the form of a debit card, everywhere is different) which you can then take and use for whatever expenses you have. With most learning institutions, the cost of your books and other class materials is not usually covered in the tuition cost, and therefore is an additional responsibility. You may use your difference check, if there is one, to purchase your books. Most professors are aware that difference checks are not released until sometime during the first week of school and the majority of students rely on that difference check to purchase their books. don't stress yourself out before school starts though. Everyone will work with you to make sure you have what you need. If you know how much your pell award is, and you already know how much your class tuition and other school fees are, then you can estimate how much of a difference check you should receive. Hope this helps and Happy Learning!!

It has been many years ago that I received a Pell Grant, but if I remember correctly, I think what happens is that the Pell grant gets sent to the school to pay for the courses and then the school turns around and sends you a check for the difference. That way you can pay for books, etc.

I am sure they pay it to the school. You will get statements when 6 mos have passed and I got tired of those bills. So I refinanced my home and paid it all off. But now have the worst mortage company in the world. I have read a lot of blogs on them and they are crocks. Do not go with AHMSI ever. I got on an adjusted interest rate that some day plan on refinancing one more time once my balance is less with a low fixed before economy changes. They will call the day the payment is due not waiting for the grace period. I have read where they also hold payments so they can charge those late fees. I send them like 15 miles from home and they do not post them a 2 weeks. Then read where people in trouble had trouble getting a person when they were behind in payments sending a late payment back wanting two payments then forclosing on them. The at nasty. I had CountryWide before and no problems very professional. I know this is a different subject but take heed. G. W

I've had the pell grant before, they take out tuition for your classes once you register and then send you a check for the remainder. I usually had to pay for my books and then just wait for the check for reimbursement.

HI K.,

April gave a great answer, but I wanted to add Congrats to you for going back to school! I start full time at Eastfield on the 24th and received a Pell Grant as well.

At DCCCD, you get a DCCCD Money card - which is a debit card and that's where any extra funds are applied after your tuition is paid. I still haven't received my initial disbursement (one page says $600 - the other $700), but after Sept 11, I'll get the remainder - all the funds will be applied to my debit card.

Good luck to you!

I don't know why you're getting mixed answers -- I received a pell grant for two years at college. You never see the money. It goes to your account and pays for your tuition (or however much you were approved for).

Well your pell is divided into the fall and spring semesters. But if you only go 3/4 time in the fall and the spring, the 1/4 of each semeser will be rolled over for you to use in summer. Yes, it is use it or lose it. Now this past semester I am taking 3/4. I got a full grant of I believe $2700 a semester, but ging 3/4 I will only recieve $2000. My tuition was only $1000 and my books were only $200, yes I will be wrote a chech for the remaining $800. Hope this helps! Any other questions just ask I have it figured out!

When you are approved for a pell grant the school will distribute the funds. They will use the money to pay for your classes, they will either give you a voucher for an off-site book store or you will be able to charge your books to the account that they have set up. If there are funds left over the school will issue you a check. I would suggest that you make an appt. with a supervisor in financial aid that can give you more info and make sure you understand before you leave the appt. I am a student at Collin County Community College, so what I am telling you is the way they do it. If you are a student at another school they may have different procedures.Good Luck!!

The school will take the money out of the pell grant to pay for the hours you are enrolled in, and if there's any left over they will send you a check.

If you're going to the same school I am, you will never get any real answers out of financial aid, unfortunately. They are awful about it unless you actually go in to the office.

Just beware that I *think* with a pell grant, if you drop hours, you're required to repay them for the difference in tuition. (Not all grants work like this.)

Hope this was some help! If you're going to TCC and have more questions, feel free to PM me.

I have received the pell grant in the past... What they used to do is either send your money to a bank card or send you a check. If you get it on the card, it automatically pays for your school, and you can use that money for your books and what ever is left over you get to keep. And, with the pell grant they normally dont send you the whole thing at the beginning of the semester. What they would do, is make sure you're in class for the first 2wks of school, and after that they will send you the rest of your money. So sometimes, you dont have the money to buy your books til than. I hope this help some.

Good Luck
T.

When I got a pell grant, it went to the school and paid tuition and fees due the school, then the remainder was mailed to me in the form of a check and I bought my books, paid rent, grocery shopped, etc with it. That was 20 years ago, though, so things may be different??

I was also qualified for a pell grant and what I was told and that I already did that the money is in your school account the one that you will be attending and you just go to office in charge of receiving payments and the get the money from your pell grant and if you need books you can also pay them by your account I heard that if you go to the book store you can grab school supplies for you and pay them with your pell grant. Which college would you be attending?