ScoreOwlPell Grant Calculator 2026–27
Enter the SAI from your FAFSA Submission Summary and your credit hours to see your Pell Grant per semester, for the year, for summer, and how much lifetime Pell you have left. Uses the 2026–27 rules: $7,395 maximum, $740 minimum, SAI cutoff 14,790.
Formulas shown on this page · Last reviewed October 2026
Why: Maximum Pell (7,395) minus your SAI.
2026–27 Pell Grant chart by SAI and credits
Yearly Pell Grant for a fall + spring year at a school where 12 credits is full-time. Divide by 2 for each semester.
| SAI | 12 credits | 9 credits | 6 credits | 3 credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −1,500 to −1 | $7,395 | $5,546 | $3,698 | $1,849 |
| 0 | $7,395 | $5,546 | $3,698 | $1,849 |
| 500 | $6,895 | $5,171 | $3,448 | $1,724 |
| 1,000 | $6,395 | $4,796 | $3,198 | $1,599 |
| 1,500 | $5,895 | $4,421 | $2,948 | $1,474 |
| 2,000 | $5,395 | $4,046 | $2,698 | $1,349 |
| 2,500 | $4,895 | $3,671 | $2,448 | $1,224 |
| 3,000 | $4,395 | $3,296 | $2,198 | $1,099 |
| 3,500 | $3,895 | $2,921 | $1,948 | $974 |
| 4,000 | $3,395 | $2,546 | $1,698 | $849 |
| 4,500 | $2,895 | $2,171 | $1,448 | $724 |
| 5,000 | $2,395 | $1,796 | $1,198 | $599 |
| 5,500 | $1,895 | $1,421 | $948 | $474 |
| 6,000 | $1,395 | $1,046 | $698 | $349 |
| 6,500 | $895 | $671 | $448 | $224 |
| 6,655 | $740 | $555 | $370 | $185 |
| 6,656 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 14,790 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
An SAI of 6,656 to 14,789 gets $0 unless your FAFSA summary shows minimum Pell eligibility ($740 full-time). Some schools set full-time above 12 credits.
How your Pell Grant is calculated
- Scheduled award: $7,395 − SAI (or the full $7,395 if your SAI is 0 or below or you qualify for maximum Pell). Below $740 it drops to $0.
- Enrollment intensity: credits ÷ full-time credits, rounded to a whole percent (9 ÷ 12 = 75%).
- Payment per term: scheduled award × intensity ÷ number of terms (2 semesters or 3 quarters).
- Summer: an extra term at half-time or more, up to 150% of the scheduled award in the year.
- Limits: never more than your cost of attendance, and $0 if other grants already cover it.
What makes this different
- Pays out per semester by your exact credits, not only full-time or half-time.
- Includes the 2026–27 rules: the 14,790 SAI cutoff and the full-scholarship rule.
- Shows summer Pell and how many semesters of Pell you have left.
- No email, no account. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Don’t have an SAI yet? Estimate it with the FAFSA SAI calculator (2027–28) first.
Sources (checked October 26, 2026)
- FSA Handbook 2026–27, Vol. 7 ch. 3: Pell Grants and enrollment intensity
- FSA Handbook 2026–27, Appendix H: Pell formula summaries
- FSA GEN-26-01: 2026–27 Federal Pell Grant maximum and minimum awards
- StudentAid.gov: Federal Pell Grants (lifetime limit, year-round Pell)
Estimate only. Your school’s financial aid office sets your actual award. ScoreOwl is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education.
Frequently asked questions
How much Pell Grant will I get in 2026–27?
For a full-time, full-year student the 2026–27 Pell Grant is the maximum of $7,395 minus your Student Aid Index (SAI). An SAI of 0 or below gets $7,395; an SAI of 2,000 gets $5,395. If the result is under the $740 minimum you get nothing unless your FAFSA summary shows minimum Pell eligibility. Part-time students get a share based on their credits.
What SAI is too high for a Pell Grant?
From 2026–27 an SAI of 14,790 or more – twice the maximum Pell Grant – makes you ineligible. In practice most students stop qualifying once the SAI passes 6,655, because the award would fall below the $740 minimum, unless they meet the low-income test for minimum Pell.
How much Pell do I get if I go part-time?
Pell is multiplied by your enrollment intensity: credits divided by your school’s full-time load (at least 12), rounded to a whole percent. With 9 credits you get 75%, with 6 credits 50% and with 3 credits 25%. At $7,395 a year, 9 credits pays about $2,773 a semester.
Can I get a Pell Grant for summer classes?
Yes. Year-round Pell lets you receive up to 150% of your yearly award in one award year if you enroll at least half-time in the extra term, usually summer. It uses up lifetime Pell eligibility faster.
How many years can I get a Pell Grant?
The lifetime limit is 600%, the same as 12 full-time semesters or about six years. A full-time year uses 100% and a half-time semester uses 25%. Your Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) is shown on your StudentAid.gov dashboard.
What changed for Pell Grants in 2026–27?
Two new rules from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act apply from July 1, 2026: students with an SAI of 14,790 or more are not eligible, and students whose non-federal grants and scholarships already cover their full cost of attendance cannot receive Pell. The maximum stayed at $7,395.