When is pell grant disbursed

If you receive your first check and then drop do below six units, you will have been overpaid and will be billed for the overpayment. Students who are receiving Cal Grant B or C must be enrolled in a minimum of six units to be eligible for payment.

If you are enrolled in less than 6 units and do not plan to add more units, please check with the Financial Aid Office as your payment must be recalculated based on a less than half-time enrollment status.

Cal Grant B and C payments awards are made one per semester. The payment amount is based on your enrollment status. If your Federal Pell Grant award exceeds the amount you owe the school for tuition and other expenses at the time of disbursement, you will receive a Pell Grant refund. Instead, they apply the award to tuition and other required costs. Each school has its own method of financial aid refund disbursement, but there are three primary options:.

Keep up to date with your account balances at school. Most schools have an online portal that allows students to easily monitor what they owe.

Most schools have programs in place to help students who rely on their Pell Grant refund to pay for textbooks and other supplies needed for their courses. Also, the Title IV COA to be used is always based on the costs for a full-time student for a full academic year, regardless of the actual enrollment status or actual time the student will be enrolled during the award year. It is also important to note that the statutory restrictions of using only certain cost components in constructing a COA in some circumstances still apply.

For example, for a less-than-half-time student, the COA includes only cost components for tuition and fees, books, supplies, transportation, room and board for a limited time period, and dependent care expenses. Institutions should also be aware of guidance regarding the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship which extends maximum Federal Pell Grant eligibility for certain students who have a Pell Grant-eligible EFC and who had a parent or guardian die while serving as a public safety officer.

See the Electronic Announcement published on November 19, , for more information regarding this scholarship.