Education is a necessity. It equips people with the tools and knowledge necessary to survive in this extremely competitive world. As the cost of education continues to spiral upwards, individuals are finding it increasingly difficult to finance their education. Getting a degree has become very difficult for those from low income families. To solve this problem, the government has introduced several financial aids to help underprivileged students. One such financial aid offered by the Federal Government is the Pell Grant.   
The Federal Pell Grant is a financial aid awarded only to undergraduate students. Every year the federal Government allocates a significant sum of the educational budget for this specific grant. This grant, awarded only to those who need it the most, is a free ticket to college. Nevertheless, there are several specific criteria which have to be met to be eligible for the grant. 

The Department of Education computes every applicant’s EFC, a number which is computed using factors like the income of the parents and their assets, number of members in the family etc, and based on this number the eligibility of the student is determined. 

Only undergraduate students can apply for this grant plus they must be either US citizens or eligible non-citizens. There are around 5400 institutions which are an integral part of this process; applicants should be enrolled in these institutions to be considered eligible for the grant. You can easily apply for Pell Grant, all you’ve got to do is to fill out the FAFSA form and submit it. You can even apply online; in fact it’s the preferred mode of application.

The Pell Grant is a scholarship made available from the Federal Government and is intended for students from low income families. The key eligibility criterion is the EFC score. If your EFC score is extremely low then your sum granted would be proportionally large. The Federal Pell grant would cover your tuition fees but it won’t cover your personal expenses. A part time job is a preferred option for covering personal expenses. For more information about the Pell grant and other financial aids contact the student aid office at your institute.