Year-Round Pell Returns July 1

Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced that year-round Pell grants will once again be available to students beginning on July 1. Thought the program was phased out due to budget cuts in 2012, Congress voted to reinstate year-round Pell eligibility in the Fiscal Year 2017 funding bill that passed last month. In its guidance to postsecondary institutions, the department indicates that eligible students, who must be  enrolled at least half-time, can receive up to 150 percent of their Pell grant award for the year to continue their education for another session. Additionally, the department urges institutions to award funds for the coming summer session out of the 2017-18 award year, unless the student has funding eligibility remaining from the current award year. The full implementation guidance letter is available here.