Grants
Grants are financial awards that typically do not require repayment unless you withdraw from school.
Awarded based on financial need, grants may have additional requirements. To determine your eligibility, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Types of Federal Grants
The Federal Pell Grants is awarded by the federal government to eligible undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree. To determine eligibility, students must complete the FAFSA each year.
How is Pell Grant eligibility determined?
Eligibility for the Pell Grant is based on several factors, including family size, adjusted gross income, poverty guidelines and/or tax filing status. The amount a student qualifies for depends on their Student Aid Index (SAI):
- Maximum Pell Grant: Students qualify for the maximum if their SAI is between -1500 and 0 and they meet financial need criteria.
- Minimum Pell Grant: Students whose SAI exceeds the maximum Pell Grant award threshold may still qualify for a reduced Pell Grant based on financial need factors.
- Other Pell Grant Eligibility: Students may still be eligible if their calculated SAI is less than the maximum Pell Grant amount for the award year. The student’s award will be equal to the maximum Pell Grant for the award year minus their SAI.
Federal Pell Enrollment Intensity
Pell Grant awards are calculated using Enrollment Intensity — a percentage based on the number of credits a student is enrolled in as of Census Day (usually the final day to add/drop for a 100% refund).
Refer to the UND Academic Calendar for exact dates.
| UND Credit Hours | Enrollment Category (Previous) | Enrollment Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 12 or more | Full-Time | 100% Pell Award |
| 11 | Three-Quarter Time | 92% |
| 10 | Three-Quarter Time | 83% |
| 9 | Three-Quarter Time | 75% |
| 8 | Half-Time | 67% |
| 7 | Half-Time | 58% |
| 6 | Half-Time | 50% |
| 5 | Less than Half-Time | 42% |
| 4 | Less than Half-Time | 33% |
| 3 | Less than Half-Time | 25% |
| 2 | Less than Half-Time | 17% |
| 1 | Less than Half-Time | 8% |
Pell Grant eligibility is limited to a total of 6 full-time years (600%).
The FSEOG grant is available to undergraduate students who qualify for the Pell Grant and are enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester.
- Must be a Pell-eligible undergraduate student.
- To apply, complete the FAFSA.
- Limited funding is available so apply early.
The Federal TEACH Grant provides up to $4,000 per year to eligible graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a teaching career.
Unlike other federal student grants, it requires recipients to complete four years of qualifying teaching service as a condition for getting the grant.
Note: If the four-year teaching service requirement is not met, the grant converts into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, which must be repaid in full with interest.
Who May Be Eligible
You may qualify for the Maximum Pell Grant, even if your Student Aid Index (SAI) does not normally make you eligible, if:
- You meet all other Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements.
- Your parent or guardian died in the line of duty while either:
- Serving as an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces on or after Sept. 11, 2001, or
- Serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer; and
- You were under 33 years old as of January 1 of the year prior to the start of the school year.
How To Apply
- Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to UND.
- Answer "Yes" to the Parent Killed in Line of Duty question on the FAFSA.
- Complete UND's Parent Killed in Line of Duty Form and provide supporting documentation.
Note: You must submit the FAFSA each year of school, but the Parent Killed in Line of Duty Form and documentation are only required once.
North Dakota State Grant
The Student Financial Assistance Program (State Grant) provides need-based, non-repayable grants to North Dakota residents who are first-time undergraduate students.
Cares Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act, Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSAA) Act, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act were passed by Congress and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19.