In order to keep your financial aid award and to continue to receive funds, you must maintain the following eligibility requirements.

1. Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress is an eligibility requirement for both federal and state financial aid. It will apply even if you never received financial aid. To achieve satisfactory academic progress, you are expected to complete your academic objective (degree, certificate, or transfer) in a timely manner. Since academic progress rules can occur at any point during your education, failing to meet these requirements could lead to termination of your financial aid at PCC.

What is SAP?

Review Satisfactory Academic Progress Guidelines

2. Enrollment Requirement

To receive your full financial aid award, you need to be enrolled full-time (at least 12 units). If you add or drop classes before the Freeze Date, your award will be adjusted accordingly.

What is the Freeze Date?

Each semester at PCC has a Pell Recalculation Date, also called the Freeze Date or Enrollment Lock. This is the point when we confirm your enrollment for financial aid purposes. Whatever number of units you're enrolled in on the Freeze Date becomes your official unit load for the term.

Important: Any changes—adding or dropping classes—after the Freeze Date will not affect your financial aid for that semester.

The information below indicates how the financial aid award is adjusted:

Pell Grant Enrollment Intensity Calculation

PCC Units Formula Enrollment Intensity Enrollment Status Equivalent
12 (or more) 12/12 = 1.0 100% Full-Time
11 11/12 = 0.217 92% 3/4 Time
10 10/12 = 0.833 83% 3/4 Time
9 9/12 = 0.75 75% 3/4 Time
8 8/12 = 0.667 67% 1/2 Time
7 7/12 = 0.583 58% 1/2 Time
6 6/12 = 0.50 50% 1/2 Time
5 5/12 = 0.417 42% < 1/2 Time
4 4/12 = 0.333 33% < 1/2 Time
3 3/12 = 0.25 25% < 1/2 Time
2 2/12 = 0.167 17% < 1/2 Time
1 1/12 = 0.083 8% < 1/2 Time

Standard Enrollment Status

                               PCC Units                                                  Award Percentage                                             Enrollment Status                        
12 (or more)   100%     Full-Time  
9 - 11.9 75% 3/4 Time
6 - 8.9 50% 1/2 Time
< 6 Ineligible < 1/2 Time

Please note: If you are enrolled in less than 6 units, you are ineligible for Cal Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study, and Federal Direct Loans at PCC.

Additionally, if you stop attending or withdraw from classes before completing nine weeks or 60% of the term, you may have to repay some or all of your financial aid. To avoid this, you can return or decline any funds you've received. Just reach out to the Office of Financial Aid right away to complete a Statement of Decline and get started.

Review Enrollment Policies