Instructional Leadership, emphasis: K-12 School Leadership (MEd)
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  1. NAU
  2. OSFA
  3. Types of aid
  4. Grants
  5. Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grants for NAU students

Additional funding for students with financial need

Federal Pell Grants are awarded to students with financial need who are pursuing their first bachelor’s degree. With rare exception, they do not need to be repaid.

Eligibility and how to apply

The first (and basically only) step in being offered a federal Pell Grant is filing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The information on your FAFSA will determine whether you are eligible for a Pell Grant and for what amount. NAU will communicate to eligible students on their financial aid award offer and in their LOUIE accounts whether they are Pell-eligible and for what amount.

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Federal Pell Grant eligibility

A student’s eligibility for the Pell Grant is based on the following:

  • Financial need
  • Cost of attendance
  • Student Aid Index (SAI)
  • Status as a full-time, part-time, or less than half-time student
  • Plans to attend either the full academic year or less
  • Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

For more information about any of these terms, please see the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid glossary.

How much money can I receive

Amounts can change yearly. The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2024–25 award year. Not all students will receive the maximum amount. The amount each student will receive is based on the eligibility factors listed above.

NAU’s Net Price Calcuator is a great way to estimate whether you are eligible for the Pell Grant, as well as what other scholarships and financial aid you might receive.

Year-round Pell

In certain situations, an eligible student can receive up to 150 percent of their Pell Grant award for an award year.

For example, if you were eligible for a $2,000 Pell Grant for the year and are enrolled full-time for both fall and spring term, you’d likely receive $1,000 in the fall and $1,000 in spring. However, under certain circumstances (such as attending the summer term), you might be eligible to receive up to an additional 50% (in this case, $1,000). Contact us for more details.

More information

  • Find more information about the Pell Grant on Federal Student Aid. It’s a great resource to learn more about eligibility and how the grant works.
  • In addition, we’re always here to help you better understand your grant and aid eligibility. Give us a call at 928-523-4951 or email financial.aid@nau.edu to get started.