Spring/Summer Financial Aid
Federal aid is available for spring/summer through the following circumstances:
- you have remaining Pell and/or loan eligibility left over from fall/winter; and/or
- you are eligible for the additional spring/summer Pell Grant with half-time enrollment (see ‘Additional Spring/Summer Pell Grant’ below).
Spring/summer federal aid is automatically posted to your account if you are eligible. You must be enrolled in order to be awarded. Check My Aid Dashboard for details of your financial aid.
Dropping Summer Classes Warning
If you receive a Pell Grant for both spring and summer terms, dropping your classes can result in paying back Pell Grant depending on the timing.
Dropping All Summer Classes:
If you drop all of your summer classes before the end of spring term, you will pay back all of your summer Pell Grant.
If you drop all of your summer classes after spring term ends, you will pay back all of your summer Pell Grant AND some of your spring Pell Grant as well.
Amounts and Disbursement
There are three periods of enrollment during spring and summer:
- spring classes
- spring-through-summer classes
- summer classes
Financial aid amounts are based on the combined enrollment of spring, spring-through-summer, and summer classes (loans require at least half-time, 6.0 credits undergrad and 4.5 grad).
Disbursement Timing (When Aid Posts to Student Account)
Enrollment | Disbursement |
| Spring Only | Beginning of Spring Term |
| Spring through Summer | Beginning of Spring Term |
| Spring & Summer | Beginning of Spring Term |
| Summer Only | Beginning of Summer Term |
Census Date (Add/Drop Deadline-Used to Determine Pell Eligibility)
Enrollment | Census Date |
| Spring Only | Spring Add/Drop |
| Spring through Summer | Spring Add/Drop |
| Spring & Summer | Summer Add/Drop |
| Summer Only | Summer Add/Drop |
Loans are not subject to a census date. Classes can be added to reach half-time enrollment at any point during spring/summer to become eligible for a Direct Loan.
Additional Spring/Summer Pell Grant
An undergraduate student can receive up to an additional 50% of their Annual Scheduled Pell Award during the spring and summer terms, depending on their enrollment level. You must be enrolled in at least a total of 6.0 financial aid eligible credits between spring and summer to be eligible for an additional Pell amount (12.0 total credits for the maximum amount). The additional award supplements any remaining eligibility from fall/winter, it does not replace it. A student who already received 150% Pell prior to spring/summer would not be eligible for this additional Pell amount.
The maximum Pell you may receive during your college career is 600%, or roughly 12 semesters. The additional spring/summer Pell Grant counts toward your aggregate total (150% is used for an academic year if enrolled full-time during fall and winter semester and spring/summer terms).
Change to Spring/Summer Pell Beginning with the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, you will no longer be required to attend at least half-time during spring/summer to receive additional Pell Grant funds if you received your full Pell Grant eligibility in fall and winter. You may be able to receive a Pell Grant even if you attend less than half-time.