Explore Grants

Check your eligibility and apply for grants to pay for college. Find below available grants:

Federal Grant

Pell Grant

Eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant is determined by information provided on a student’s current FAFSA submission. Pell Grant funds do not need to be repaid, however, failure to complete all classes in a semester may result in a reduction of Pell Grant funding for the semester. The student may be responsible for repaying unearned Pell Grant funds.

The amount of Pell Grant awarded is determine on the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI) which is calculated with the FAFSA submittal. Award amounts may be subject to change based on the individual student’s financial need, costs to attend school, enrollment intensity, and Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Only courses that are applicable to the student’s graduations requirements for their active degree program will be calculated towards enrollment status for Pell Grant eligibility.

Pell Grant Facts:

• The Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU) for all undergraduate students is 600%
• The maximum amount of Pell that a student can use in one semester is 50%.
• The maximum amount of Pell that a student can use in one year is 150%.
• The Pell Grant award is based on a student’s enrollment intensity, which is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled, rounded to the nearest whole percent. For example, full-time enrollment at Sheridan College is 12 credit hours. A student is enrolled in 6 credit hours, therefore the enrollment intensity would be 6 / 12 X 100% = 50%.
• If a student used their full 100% of Pell (by enrolling full-time in fall AND spring) they are for Year-Round-Pell, or additional Pell, up to 50%, when enrolled during the summer semester.
• If a student did not use their full 100% of Pell (by enrolling less than full-time in fall OR spring) then they still have remaining eligibility from their original 100% of Pell, and the student can still receive Pell funds in the summer when enrolled.
• Any amount of Pell that is not used in one year is forfeited, however unused Pell does not count against the student’s total 600% eligibility.

Each student has a 600% Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU) limit. This means that students can use up to 100% of their Pell grant eligibility each year for up to 6 years, or twelve semesters at full-time (if they qualify for the Pell grant based on their FAFSA). If a student does not use the full amount of Pell that they qualify for within the 6 years, they can receive a Pell grant in additional years, until they reach the 600% total lifetime eligibility.

The US Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2017 allows a student to receive Federal Pell Grant funds for up to 150% of the student’s Pell Grant Scheduled Award for an award year, or Year-Round Pell. This provision is effective beginning with the 2017–2018 award year. Students who take full-time course loads receive 50% of their Pell grant in the fall and 50% of their Pell grant in the spring, and are eligible to use up to an additional 50% of their Pell grant in the summer semester, for a total of up to 150%. Below are examples of Pell grant percentages used each year, and how that affects a student’s total 600% Pell LEU. Keep in mind, these are only examples; a Pell grant award will vary depending on enrollment status for each semester during an award year.

Examples:

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The U.S. Department of Education approves additional grant funds annually to be awarded to students with the highest financial aid unmet need. In addition to the approved Federal funding, Northern Wyoming Community College District (NWCCD) contributes a twenty five percent match. The total Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is awarded to students based on the following criteria until all funding is spent. FSEOG awards vary annually and per enrollment.

FSEOG student eligibility criteria:

• Priority will be given to earlier FAFSA submissions.
• Pell Grant eligible, as determined by the FAFSA;
• A valid Student Aid Index (SAI) that is negative or zero, as determined by the FAFSA;
• Enrolled in a Title IV degree-seeking program;
• Award based on enrollment for the semester; full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time or less-than-half-time;
• Must be enrolled for the semester and meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress at the time of packaging;
• The award is subject to change if an eligible student’s enrollment status changes before the Financial Aid census date (freeze date) or when a student’s total financial aid awards exceed their total cost of attendance.

Changes to the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants and  Children of Fallen Heroes Program

The FAFSA Simplification Act changed eligibility for what was formerly called Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG) and Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) award programs. Beginning with the 2024-2025 FAFSA year, students who meet the following eligibility requirements will be eligible:

• The child of a parent or guardian who died in the line of duty while (a) serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001; or (b) actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer; and
• Less than 33 years old as of the January 1 prior to the award year for which the applicant is applying (e.g., for the 2024-25 award year, a student must be less than 33 years old as of January 1, 2024, to be eligible).

The student will receive the maximum Pell Grant award, regardless of their calculated SAI.

NWCCD’s financial aid staff must determine and document, in collaboration with the student, the student’s eligibility. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.