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Grants

Grants are considered "gifted aid" and therefore do not need to be repaid.

Grants are intended to assist students who have not yet earned or met the requirements for a first bachelor's degree and who are attending school at least part time.

Grants:

  • provide financial aid which does not have to be repaid.
  • are awarded based on need.
  • are generally provided by the Federal government or individual states.

Federal PELL Grant

PELL Grants are only available for the first Bachelor's degree. You are considered to hold a Bachelor's degree when you have completed the requirements for the degree, even if the degree has not officially been awarded by the institution.

Due to federal regulations, PELL grants are only available for the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters.

PELL Grants are considered a foundation of federal financial aid, to which aid from other federal and nonfederal sources might be added.

PELL Grant amounts can change annually. For more information click here:

Learn more about Federal PELL Grants

The PELL amount you get will depend on your:

  • financial need
  • cost of attendance
  • status as a full-time or part-time student (enrollment status)
  • plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

You may not receive Federal PELL Grant funds from more than one school at a time.

The PELL Grant award varies according to the semester credits you are enrolled in.

Any adjustments you make to your schedule (dropping classes, etc.) could impact the award amount of your PELL Grant. If you drop credits, you could lose eligibility for some of the PELL Grant you are awarded originally and be required to repay a portion or all of the Grant award depending on the number of credits.

To avoid any repayment, please be aware of the following:
  • Your PELL grant enrollment is frozen on the 10th day of school for that semester (the "census date" for the summer session is the 5th day of class).
    • Any classes added after the census date will not count towards determining your PELL Grant eligibility. This applies to internships, workshops and other classes, even if the University allows you to add the credits.
    • If you add or drop classes after your PELL Grant has disbursed, your student account will reflect any resulting changes to your PELL award within a few working days.
    • Try to add and drop classes during the same session on BengalWeb, if possible. Make sure to ADD a class before you drop another class. By just dropping a class without adding another class first, you may cause your PELL Grant to decrease. If you do not ADD first you may also have a late fee on unpaid balances with the ISU Cashier’s Office caused by this decrease in PELL Grant award.
  • Your PELL award is based on the assumption that you attend all your enrolled classes.
    • If you do not attend a class, or if you drop a class before it starts, your PELL Grant award will be recalculated. Your student account on MyISU, under the My Financial Aid card, will reflect any PELL Grant reduction that occurs for these reasons, (allow up to 5 working days for enrollment changes to be reflected on your student account).

To see your PELL Lifetime Eligibility Used percentage, log on to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) using your FSA ID and view your Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). The LEU will be found on the Financial Aid Review page.

 

Special Non-Resident Fee Waivers (SNRW)

Special Non-Resident Fee Waivers are a state and university sponsored form of financial assistance which waives the out-of-state tuition for a limited number of students who are non-residents of the state of Idaho.

You need to be aware the time accrued while receiving the Special Non-Resident Waiver will NOT contribute toward the length of time required for residency.

Award is for the cost of out-of-state tuition.

Special Non-Resident Fee Waivers cannot be awarded to a student in an oversubscribed program Be aware that most health professions programs at ISU are considered oversubscribed.

How do I qualify for SNRWs?

To be eligible for this program, a student must:

  • be a non-resident for tuition purposes.
  • be enrolled as a full-time student (12 credits).
  • demonstrate exceptional financial need.
  • submit your FAFSA to the federal processor by March 1.
  • be an undergraduate (academic and applied technology) or graduate student.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

Federal FSEOG is for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.

PELL Grant recipients with the lowest EFC and all requested documents turned into the ISU Financial Aid Office will be the first to get FSEOG. Just like PELL Grants, FSEOG do not have to be paid back. This grant is funded by the federal government.

At ISU, you may receive up to $600 per year depending on your need and the availability of funds.

How do I qualify for FSEOG?

The FSEOG is intended to assist students who:

  • enroll at least half-time (6 credits).
  • demonstrate exceptional financial need.

Loans, Work-Study Employment, or Scholarships are other types of aid.