Federal Grants

Pell Grant | SEOG | Veterans Benefits | TEACH Grant

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant does not have to be repaid. Federal Pell Grants are awarded to students with exceptional financial need, as defined by the FAFSA. Full-time and part-time students can receive a Pell Grant, provided they meet the eligibility requirements, below.

Federal Eligibility Requirements

Must have a valid FAFSA on file and a Pell-eligible SAI
Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
Accepted as a regular student working toward a first bachelor's degree
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward a degree per the policies of the university
Cannot be in default on any other federal loan
Cannot owe a refund on a federal student grant or loan

How Is the Pell Grant Disbursed?

Students that have been awarded a Pell Grant must accept the Terms & Conditions of Federal Aid in Banner
Around the 5th week of the semester, Federal Pell Grants are disbursed from the federal government and applied to the student's account.

Annual & Lifetime Limits

Annual Limit	Students may receive Pell for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms depending on eligibility. The amount of their award depends on their Student Aid Index, as determined by the FAFSA. For the 2024-25 academic year, the minimum full-time award is $370 per semester and the maximum is $3698 per semester. These amounts are prorated for enrollment that is less than full-time.
Lifetime Limit	Students may receive Pell for up to 12 full-time semesters (or part-time equivalent) or until they have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree; whichever happens first. Students may monitor their Pell Grant usage at StudentAid.gov.

Unusual Enrollment History

The U.S. Department of Education has established regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Federal Pell Grant Program by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories.

Students who have received a Federal Grant at multiple institutions in the past three academic years may be flagged as having unusual enrollment. If flagged, the Financial Aid office must review the prior academic history to determine federal financial aid eligibility for that student. Therefore, Pell-eligible students who transferred to Buffalo State from one or more instructions previously may become ineligible for aid if they withdraw from Buffalo State and do not earn any academic credit. Learn more about Unusual Enrollment History.

More Information

More information about the Federal Pell Grant is available at StudentAid.gov.

Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is a campus-based, federal grant program that does not need to be repaid. Campus-based programs are managed by individual campuses and have limited funding which makes it important that students file their FAFSA as soon as it is released each year.

Eligibility Requirements

Must have a valid FAFSA on file for the upcoming Fall semester
Be Pell-eligible (see above)
Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of -1500. If there are remaining FSEOG funds after awarding to all -1500 SAI recipients, the students with the lowest SAIs will be considered next.
Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
Accepted as a regular student working toward a first bachelor's degree
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward a degree per the policies of the university
Cannot be in default on any other federal loan
Cannot owe a refund on a federal student grant or loan

How SEOG Is Disbursed?

Students that have been awarded SEOG must accept the Terms & Conditions of Federal Aid in Banner
Around the 5th week of the semester, SEOG is disbursed from the federal government and applied to the student's account.

Annual & Lifetime Limits

Annual Limit	On-Campus students: $500 per year ($250/semester) Off-campus students: $200 per year ($100/semester)
Lifetime Limit	None; but the student must remain eligible for a Pell Grant which does have a lifetime limit.

More Information

More information about the Federal Pell Grant is available at StudentAid.Gov.

Federal Veterans Benefits

Student veterans and dependents of veterans may be eligible to use their education benefits at Buffalo State. In many instances, veterans benefits may cover all of the tuition charges. However, students are still encouraged to apply for federal and state financial aid as they may qualify for additional help.

Students receiving Chapter 33 benefits must have their enrollment certified by Buffalo State for every semester in which they are trying to use benefits. Therefore, student-veterans must work closely with the Veterans and Military Services Office.

All veterans and dependents of veterans who have questions about their benefits or the application process should contact the Veterans and Military Services Office.