Office of Financial Aid

Information About Grants

What is a Pell Grant?

The Pell Grant is a federal grant program that provides financial aid to undergraduate
students with exceptional financial need. Pell Grant offers funds that do not need to be
repaid, unlike student loans. The amount of the grant varies and is determined by the
student's Student Aid Index (SAI) as reported on the FAFSA, the cost of attendance at
the school, and whether the student is enrolled full-time or part-time. The maximum
amount of Pell Grant is determined by the federal government and the Department of
Education. The amount of time in which a student can receive Pell grant has been
reduced from 18 semesters to 12 semesters or when they reach 600%. This change in
duration is not limited to students who received their first Federal Pell Grant on or after
the 2008-2009 award year, as the HEA previously provided when the duration of
eligibility was 18 semesters. The federal government will calculate the equivalency by
adding together each of the annual percentages of a student's scheduled award that
was actually disbursed to the student.

Am I eligible for the Pell grant?

Initial eligibility requirements:

• Be an undergraduate student who has not earned a bachelor’s, graduate or
professional degree.
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the applicable year.
• Demonstrate exceptional financial need based upon the SAI (Student Aid Index)
calculation.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non- citizen.

Continuing eligibility requirements:

• Complete the FAFSA form each academic year.
• Complete any unsatisfied ULM financial aid requirements that appear on your ULM
Banner Self-Service.
• Students must meet the University of Louisiana Monroe’s Satisfactory Academic
Policy (SAP) to be awarded any Pell Grant during an academic year.
• The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you may receive over your lifetime is
limited by federal law to be the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding.
• Maintain enrollment in an undergraduate, degree seeking course of study.

Changes to Pell Grant beginning July 1, 2026 for the 2026-2027 academic year:

1. If non-federal sources of aid do not exceed the cost of attendance (COA), the student may receive the full amount of the Pell Grant to which they are entitled, even if adding that amount of Pell brings the student over COA.

2. The rules for adjusting the COA have not changed. You have the authority to use professional judgment to adjust the COA on a case-by-case basis to allow for special circumstances. Such adjustments and circumstances should be well-documented. However, increasing the COA to circumvent a regulation would not be considered a special circumstance.

3. If non-federal sources of aid exceed the COA, you may reduce one or all of those sources so that the student is at least $1 under the COA. At that point the full Pell eligibility could be added, even if adding that amount takes the student over COA. There is no need to increase the COA.

4. In Short: It is best to think of this more as a Pell Grant eligibility issue and less of a packaging math issue. If the nonfederal aid does not equal or exceed the COA, the student keeps the Pell Grant and neither the Pell nor the nonfederal aid must be adjusted to equal the COA.

How is Pell Grant awarded in the summer?

Beginning summer 2018, Federal Pell Grant rules allowed students to receive
additional Pell Grant funds and accelerate their academic careers to finish their
program of study sooner.

At this time, a student who attended full time during the
fall and spring would have to attend a minimum of 6 credits in his/her major in the
summer to qualify for year-round Pell of up to 150%. All other student types could
be reviewed with less summer enrolled hours to see if they qualify for any additional
Pell Grant.
• Beginning summer 2024, this policy is still in effect with the following changes:
Although $7,395 is the maximum Pell Grant Scheduled Award for the
2024-2025 award year, institutions are reminded that a student may be
eligible to receive Pell Grant funds for up to 150 percent of the student’s Pell
Grant Scheduled Award for an award year. The FAFSA Simplification Act
removed the requirement for a student to be enrolled at least half-time to
receive Pell Grant funds of more than 100 percent of the student’s
Scheduled Award. Therefore, to be eligible for the additional Pell Grant
funds, the student must only be otherwise eligible to receive Pell Grant funds
for the payment period to receive funds more than 100 percent of the
student’s Scheduled Award.
• Students must attend and complete 60.004% of their classes for each term to earn
100% of their awarded Pell Grant. If a student withdraws from the institution
completely, all of their federal aid, including Pell Grant will be reviewed and adjusted
based upon the student’s last date of participation. This could cause the student to
owe a balance to the institution.
• Pell Grant is reviewed and adjusted until after the 14th class day of full-term classes
and after the 5th class day for module classes.
• The Office of Financial Aid Services strongly advises students to carefully consider
their enrollment load before registration. The student is expected to complete all
registered classes to avoid possible repayment of Financial Aid.

Summer awarding is a manual process at ULM. Summer sheets are printed in batches
and awarded in order of enrollment. Adjusting enrollment after initial enrollment will be
processed in a later batch.
• Students who change their enrollment schedule will have their summer offer or award
adjusted after the batch has been completed and the up/down sheets are printed.
• Students will receive an email if they are awarded summer aid, if their aid is revised for
summer or if they are not eligible for summer financial aid.
• These emails are sent out at the end of each business day.
• Students begin enrolling for summer in March.
• The ULM Financial Aid Office then determines the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA)
based on the previous year’s tuition and fee amounts and the current housing amounts
listed on the ULM webpage. This is to assist in awarding students within a few weeks
after they begin enrolling.
• A pop sel (Summer Population Calc) will be utilized to calculate the student’s
satisfactory academic progress (SAP) status for summer utilizing ROPSAPR program in
Banner FA at the end of the spring term. This process will update the student’s SAP
status for the 20XX80 term in Banner FA form ROASTAT-Eligibility tab. For initial
awarding of current students, the 20xx60 term will be utilized to determine SAP
eligibility until spring grades are available for review. SAP will be calculated for new
students entering for the 20xx80 term. Once SAP has been calculated for the summer at
that time any student that is deemed to be bad SAP, will have the summer award
cancelled.
• Once the hour load process has occurred, the FAO will run a manual pop sel (Summer
Population Aid Year Duration) Fall/Spring/Summer FSS or Spring/Summer SPS on
GLBDATA within Banner FA to identify enrolled students and then change the Aid Year
on the Budget screen for these students to reflect summer. The batch post process on
Banner FA form RORPOST will be utilized to perform this process. This will allow for the
calculation of the student’s summer Cost of Attendance (COA). This will also repopulate
the student budget duration utilized to calculate the student’s SAI #.
• The batch post process on RORPOST and the RNPFMXX program will be utilized to
perform this process. This will allow for the calculation of the student’s expected family
contribution (SAI) value for summer. The summer SAI calculation only affects whether or
not the student has SUB eligibility for summer. The calculation of the summer SAI will
be (Combined duration SAI which is the 12-month aka FASPSUM– 3-month duration SAI
= Summer SAI. Summer Need = Summer COA – Summer SAI. If prior SAI exceeds prior
COA, the difference must be added to current SAI to determine correct summer SAI.
The SAI for a Summer only student will be the 3-month SAI. For a student that is
SPRING/SUM the calculation will be 8 month – the 3-month summer. The SAI for a SUMMER
only is the 3 months.)

What is the FSEOG Grant?

FSEOG is an undergraduate award to students with exceptional financial need. Federal Pell Grant recipients receive priority for these awards. The FSEOG awards can range from $100 to $4,000 a year but each school can establish its own guidelines within these ranges.

Am I eligible for the FSEOG Grant?

You must be Pell grant eligible based on the FAFSA.
You must meet all of the eligibility criteria required for receipt of federal aid including SAP.
You must be enrolled in an undergraduate program leading to an associate or first bachelor's degree. Funds are very limited.

What is the Louisiana Go Grant?

The purpose of this program is to provide a need-based component to the state's financial aid plan to support nontraditional and low to moderate-income students who need additional aid to afford the cost of attending college.

Am I eligible for the Go Grant?

Be a Louisiana Resident;*
File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
Receive a federal Pell grant;
Have remaining financial need after deducting the student's Student Aid Index (SAI) and Federal/State/Institutional grant or scholarship aid ("gift aid") from the student's Cost of Attendance (COA): Due to limited funding, awards are not guaranteed to all eligible students.
Be a student enrolled in an eligible Louisiana institution on a half-time basis (minimum 6 hours at semester school or 4 hours at a quarter school).

Award Amounts **

Award amounts to eligible students are based on the institution's allocation and their packaging policy. Awards may vary with each academic year. Awards will not be paid for summer sessions,quarters, or terms unless special permission is given or funds are available.

Renewal Requirements

Must file a FAFSA or the Renewal FAFSA at least annually;
Continue to receive a Federal Pell Grant;
Have remaining financial need after deducting Student Aid Index (SAI) and all federal/state/institutional grant or scholarship aid ("gift aid") from student's Cost of Attendance (COA).
The Award can be renewed for subsequent years to a maximum lifetime award that correlates to that of the Federal Pell Grant.

*Residency: Louisiana resident as of the day the FAFSA is filed and Louisiana is the student's true and fixed domicile as reported on the FAFSA. If student's state of residence on the FAFSA is not reported as LA, but a dependent student claims that a non-custodial parent is a Louisiana resident, or that parents are Louisiana residents living out of state, LOSFA will determine residency based on the completion, by the parents, of a residency affidavit

**Students should check with the financial aid office at the school they plan to attend regarding policy on award calculation and distribution.

What is Institutional Need Based Grant?

Students must be a degree seeking, undergraduate students.
Allocated funds will be split between Undergraduates by classification.
Students must meet minimum standards of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours per term.
Students must be a Louisiana resident.
Priority is given to students who have a FAFSA on file by February 15th.
Students must be Pell Grant eligible.
Students must demonstrate financial need based upon the COA-SAI calculation.
Award amounts range from 500-1000.

LOSFA Geaux Teach Grant Policy and Procedures

I. Policy statement

Act 463 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature established the Geaux Teach Program, which provides scholarships to students who are enrolled in teacher preparation programs at the state’s postsecondary institutions that are approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Funding is also available to students attending certified alternative teacher preparation programs approved by BESE. Awards will begin with the 2022-2023 academic year. Financial aid offices should work with their college’s School of Education to identify eligible applicants.

II. Purpose of Policy

The Geaux Teach scholarship program was established to provide scholarships to students who are enrolled in teacher preparation programs or alternate certification programs approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) at postsecondary education institutions within the state.

III. Applicability

Initial eligibility requirements

To be eligible for the Geaux Teach Program scholarship, a student must:
Be a US citizen and if required, registered with the Selective Service; and
Be a Louisiana resident for at least two full years prior to July 1 immediately preceding the academic year in which the student will be enrolled in a qualified program of study; and • Be enrolled full time in an approved teacher preparation program at an approved institution or be enrolled in an approved, alternative certified teacher education program through the census date; and
Have at least a 2.5 cumulative college GPA.
Be enrolled through the 14th class day.
Have a remaining, outstanding balance at the time of awarding. For students on a payment plan, an award can be placed on the account in lieu of the remaining payment plan amount (outstanding balance).
A student cannot receive a refund for the Geaux Teach Grant.

Continuing eligibility requirements

To maintain eligibility to receive a Geaux Teach Program scholarship, a student must:

Be a US citizen and if required, registered with the Selective Service; and
Be a Louisiana resident for at least two full years prior to July 1 immediately preceding the academic year in which the student will be enrolled in a qualified program of study; and • Be enrolled full time in an approved teacher preparation program at an approved institution or be enrolled in an approved, alternative certified teacher education program through the census date; and
Maintain a minimum cumulative college GPA of at least 2.50.
Have a remaining, outstanding balance at the time of awarding. For students on a payment plan, an award can be placed on the account in lieu of the payment plan amount (outstanding balance) or out of pocket expense.
A student cannot receive a refund for the Geaux Teach Grant.
Have received the award for not more than four academic years.

IV. Packaging Policy

Packaging Policy:

Eligible institutions/providers must establish and use a policy on Geaux Teach Program packaging that provides:

A procedure for compliance with program rules
Record retention
Basis used to establish any award amount that is less than the maximum award amount allowed Payment Requests: A payment request file format will be provided that will include the following elements:
Student’s name
Social Security number
College code/provider name
Term
Date
Hours attempted
Award amount requested for each student
CIP code for the program of study
Increment key at the end of each semester, term or quarter, the institution/provider shall report the following student data to LOSFA:
Semester hours attempted and semester hours earned
Semester quality points earned
Resignation from the institution/provider or withdrawal from all courses
Completion of a program of study Institution/Provider Certification: No institution/provider shall submit a payment request for Geaux Teach funds which would result in a student receiving an annual total of more than the authorized amount of $5,000.00.
The award can be used for the summer if the student has remaining funds available (under the maximum $5,000.00 annual award amount).

Packaging Policy:

Award amounts:
May not exceed the amount of the tuition, fees, and books which are evidenced on the recipient’s fee bill. No institution/provider shall submit a payment request for Geaux Teach funds which would result in a student receiving an annual total of more than the authorized amount of $5,000.00. Award amounts should be reduced to prevent over awards.

Eligibility and Packaging Procedures

Students should be directed to the college/school of education to apply for the program using the required LOSFA application form in the following link.A new link or application will be available once LOSFA provides a new way to apply.

The college/school of education will submit the list of selected recipients to the financial aid office after determining they meet the eligibility criteria in the eligibility section of this policy.
The financial aid office will determine the award amount based upon the student’s financial aid eligibility for the program.
Alternate certification programs will use the same application form.
After the financial aid office determines the award amount based on the student’s financial aid eligibility for the program, the financial aid office will submit a payment request to LOSFA on the Award System.
Alternate certification providers will submit a direct payment request to LOSFA on the award system.
Award amounts:
The maximum annual award is $5,000. The award amount shall be applied only to tuition, fees, textbooks, and instructional materials required for enrollment. Geaux Teach Program scholarships shall be awarded after all state and institutional financial aid are applied. Summer term awards are allowed.
Beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year, ULM will include free federal aid in the calculation for determination. This is to spread the funding amount to more recipients, prevent over awarding and unnecessary refunds.