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 that does not have to be repaid.
- Are awarded based on need.
- Are generally provided by the Federal government or individual states.
Federal Pell Grant – Key Information
The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based financial aid award for undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree. It serves as the foundation of federal financial aid, with possible additions from other sources.
Eligibility Basics
- Available only for your first bachelor’s degree.
- Eligibility ends after receiving Pell funds for 12 full-time semesters (600%).
- You're considered to hold a degree once academic requirements are met—even if the degree hasn't been officially awarded.
Check your Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) at StudentAid.gov.
Award Amount Factors
Your Pell Grant amount is based on:
- Financial need
- Cost of attendance
- Enrollment status (full-time/part-time)
- Length of enrollment (full academic year or less)
Starting with the 2024–25 FAFSA: Pell amounts for students enrolled less than full-time are prorated based on enrollment intensity.
Example:
A student eligible for $3,698 at full-time who registers for only 3 credits (25% intensity) would receive $925.
Enrollment Intensity Chart
| Credit Hours |
Enrollment Category (Old) |
Enrollment Intensity (New) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 (or more) | Full-Time | 100% |
| 11 | Three-Quarter Time | 92% |
| 10 | 83% | |
| 9 | 75% | |
| 8 | Half-Time | 67% |
| 7 | 58% | |
| 6 | 50% | |
| 5 | Less -than-Half-Time | 42% |
| 4 | 33% | |
| 3 | 25% | |
| 2 | 17% | |
| 1 | 8% |
Note: You cannot receive Pell funds from more than one school at a time.
Enrollment Changes & Pell Impact
Adjusting your schedule may affect your Pell Grant. Dropping credits can reduce your award and may result in a repayment requirement.
Important Reminders:
- Census Date: Pell is based on enrollment as of:
- 10th day of the semester (or 5th day for summer).
- Late Adds (after census) don’t count for Pell eligibility—even internships or workshops.
- Always add classes before dropping others to avoid loss of eligibility or late fees.
- If you don’t attend or drop before a class begins, your award will be recalculated.
Check changes in MyISU > My Financial Aid (allow up to 5 business days for updates).
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 exceptional financial need and all requested documents turned into the ISU Financial Aid Office will be the first to get FSEOG. Beginning 2025-2026, the ISU Office of Financial Aid defines exceptional financial need as a SAI of 0 or less. 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.