FAFSA, SAI and Pell Grant · calculator
Pell Grant calculator for 2026-27
The maximum Pell Grant for 2026-27 is $7,395 for a full-time student: $6,335 set by the appropriations law of February 3, 2026, plus the $1,060 the Higher Education Act adds every year. A student receives the maximum when the Student Aid Index is 0 or below, which happens automatically when the parents of a dependent student, or an independent student, had 2024 income at or under 175% of the poverty guideline, or 225% for a single parent. Above that, the grant equals the maximum minus the SAI, until the SAI passes 6,656. A family of four with $75,000 of income and modest savings would see an SAI near 3,648 and a grant of about $3,747. Students who miss that cut can still get the minimum award, $739.50, if their income is under a second set of lines, unless their SAI is at least twice the maximum Pell, a rule added by the 2025 law. Your school adjusts the award for enrollment below full time.
Estimated Pell Grant, full time, 2026-27
$1,745
SAI 5,650 · Maximum minus SAI
| Parents’ total income | $85,000 |
| Allowances against parents’ income | −$62,383 |
| Parents’ available income | $22,617 |
| Parents’ contribution from assets (12%) | $1,800 |
| Parents’ contribution | $5,450 |
| Student’s contribution from income (50%) | $0 |
| Student’s contribution from assets (20%) | $200 |
| Maximum-Pell income line (AGI at or under) | $54,600 |
| Minimum-Pell income line | $85,800 |
Formula A of the 2026-27 FSA guide, with 2024 tax data and 2024 poverty guidelines. Maximum Pell $7,395; your school sets the award by enrollment and cost. How this is calculated.
How much Pell Grant a student can expect for the 2026-27 award year, from the same inputs as the FAFSA.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Three families, three awards
The table runs the calculator for a dependent student with married parents and a household of four, at three income levels, with savings rising alongside income. It shows how fast the grant falls once income passes the maximum-Pell line of $54,600.
| Parents’ 2024 AGI | Savings | SAI | Estimated Pell, full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $8,000 | 988 | $6,407 |
| $75,000 | $10,000 | 3,648 | $3,747 |
| $95,000 | $20,000 | 7,752 | $0 |
The three steps behind the estimate
The Federal Student Aid guide sets the order. Step one checks maximum-Pell eligibility: non-filers and families under the 175% or 225% line get the full $7,395. Step two computes the SAI and gives the maximum minus the SAI when it is no higher than the maximum minus the minimum award. Step three catches students left out: those under the minimum-Pell income lines (275% of poverty for dependent students with two parents, $85,800 for four people, 325% for a single parent, and for independent students 400%, 350% or 275% depending on whether they are single parents, other parents or not parents) receive $739.50 as long as their SAI is below twice the maximum (FSA SAI and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide).
New rules from July 1, 2026
Public Law 119-21 added three conditions. A student whose SAI equals or exceeds twice the total maximum Pell, $14,790 for 2026-27, is not eligible for that year. Foreign income excluded from U.S. tax now counts in the AGI used to test Pell eligibility. And no Pell is paid for a period in which non-federal grants already cover the full cost of attendance. The same law created Workforce Pell for programs of 8 to 14 weeks (Public Law 119-21, sections 83001 to 83004). The Pell changes page covers each one.
Independent students and single parents
An independent student's own 2024 income replaces the parents'. The lines differ by situation. A single parent qualifies for the maximum award up to 225% of poverty, $45,990 for a family of two, and for the minimum award up to 400%. A student with children who is married uses 175% and 350%. A student with no children uses 175% and 275%, $26,355 and $41,415 for one person. Single-parent status in the guide depends on filing status, such as head of household, or on having claimed the earned income tax credit.
From scheduled award to the money you receive
The calculator gives the scheduled award for full-time enrollment over a full year. The school then applies your enrollment intensity: three quarters of full time receives about three quarters of the award. Pell is paid to the school, which applies it to tuition and fees and refunds any remainder to the student, usually each term. It does not have to be repaid unless you withdraw early in a term. The maximum and the rules come from Public Law 119-75 and 20 U.S.C. 1070a; the SAI calculator shows every line of the index.