These two funds must be adjusted according to the number of units in which the student is enrolled:
12 units or more - full time - 100% payment
9 to 11.5 units - 3/4 time - 75% payment
6 to 8.5 units - 1/2 time - 50% payment
.5 to 5.5 units - less than half time - small Pell Grant only
Students are considered to be enrolled full time until the end of registration, at which time units are checked and financial aid is adjusted according to the number of units, as indicated above.
Example 1. Three students complete their financial aid files early and they are awarded and a check is disbursed before the end of registration. They are each eligible to receive a Pell Grant or a Cal Grant of exactly $1,200. These students, however, enroll in full, 3/4, and 1/2 time. They will be paid as follows:
Student A (full time) receives:
$600 at the beginning of the semester
$600 at the 10th week
Total: $1,200 (the full amount)
Student B (3/4 time) receives:
$600 at the beginning of the semester
$300 at the 10th week
Total: $900 (75% of the full amount)
Student C (1/2 time) receives:
$600 at the beginning of the semester
$0 at the 10th week
Total: $600 (50% of the full amount)
Exampe 2. If the same three students complete their financial aid files late and are awarded and disbursed after registration ends, but before the second disbursement, they will be paid as follows:
Student A (full time) receives:
$600 2-3 weeks after the file is complete
$600 at the 10th week
Total: $1,200 (the full amount)
Student B (3/4 time) receives:
$450 2-3 weeks after the file is complete
$450 at the 10th week
Total: $900 (75% of the full amount)
Student C (1/2 time) receives:
$300 2-3 weeks after the file is complete
$300 at the 10th week
Total: $600 (50% of the full amount)
Example 3. Finally, if these three students complete their financial aid files even later, in time for or after the second disbursement, they will be paid as follows:
Student A (full time) receives:
$1,200 2-3 weeks after the file is complete
Total: $1,200 (the full amount)
Student B (3/4 time) receives:
$900 2-3 weeks after the file is complete
Total: $900 (75% of the full amount)
Student C (1/2 time) receives:
$600 2-3 weeks after the file is complete
Total: $600 (50% of the full amount)
The disbursement of less than half time (for students enrolled in less than 6 units) must be done by hand. Because of that, less than half time Pell Grants are disbursed after registration has ended and, thus, fall into either example 2 or 3, according to when the file is completed.
In the fall semester, the first Cal Grant checks are usually disbursed a couple of weeks into the semester because that is when the Student Aid Commission releases the funds to the colleges.
Students who receive financial aid and withdraw from all of their classes may have to pay some money back to the Department of Education. |
