Students are limited to 600 percent of Federal Pell Grant eligibility during their lifetime.
This law affects ALL students regardless of when or where they received their first Federal Pell Grant. Students over this lifetime limit will no longer be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grant money.
There are no exceptions and it is not possible to appeal by submitting a Petition for Reinstatement. A school has no legal ability to award students beyond the 600-percent limit. When your Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) equals or exceeds 600 percent, you may no longer receive Pell Grant funding.
The limit is six years of full-time attendance (two semesters each academic year at 12 or more credits/semester). It’s prorated for part-time students. The U.S. Department of Education keeps track of and compares the actual amount of Pell you received for the award year with your scheduled full-time award amount for that award year. For students with an annual award taking 12 credits each semester (fall and spring for example), the percentage of LEU used would be 100 percent.
If you only took nine credits for those two semesters your percentage of LEU used would be 75 percent. The percentage used of your full-time scheduled award amount in one award year is what counts toward your lifetime limit. Each award year's percentage used is added together until you reach 600 percent or the lifetime limit. Example:
| Award Year 1 | Pell Grant Scheduled Award | $5,000 |
| Pell Grant Amount Received | $3,750 | |
| Percent Used | 75% | |
| Award Year 2 | Pell Grant Scheduled Award | $5,000 |
| Pell Grant Amount Received | $1,250 | |
| Percent Used | 25% | |
| Total LEU Used So Far | Year 1 & 2 Added Together | 100% |
How can I see my Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) percentage?
You can log on to National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) using your FSA ID and view your LEU. The LEU will be found on the Financial Aid Review page.
