dwb2023/document-loader-jul2025 huggingface dataset:
new	annual	loan	limit	after	SAY
(plus	summer	trailer	or	header)
calendar	period	ends.
for	new	annual	loan	limit
after	BBAY	1	calendar
period	ends.
for	new	annual	loan	limit
after	BBAY	2	calendar
period	ends.
new	annual	loan	limit	only	after
successfully	completing	clock	or
credit	hours	AND	weeks	of
instructional	time	in	BBAY	3.
After	original	loan,	student	may
receive	additional	loans	during
same	SAY	if:
Received	less	than	annual
loan	amount	and	has
remaining	eligibility;
Progresses	to	grade	level
with	higher	annual	loan
limit;	or
Changes	from	dependent
to	independent.
After	original	loan,
student	may	receive
additional	loans	during
same	BBAY	1	if:
Received	less	than
annual	loan	amount
and	has	remaining
eligibility;
Progresses	to	grade
level	with	higher
annual	loan	limit;	or
Changes	from
dependent	to
independent.
After	original	loan,
student	may	receive
additional	loans	during
same	BBAY	2	if:
Received	less	than
annual	loan	amount
and	has	remaining
eligibility;
Progresses	to	grade
level	with	higher
annual	loan	limit;	or
Changes	from
dependent	to
independent.
After	original	loan,	student	may
receive	additional	loans	within
BBAY	3	only	if:
Received	less	than	annual
loan	amount	and	has
remaining	eligibility;	or
Changes	from	dependent
to	independent.
Student	may	not	become
eligible	for	next	grade	level
annual	loan	limits	until	after
completion	of	BBAY	3.
Summer	term	modules	may
be	combined	and	treated
as	single	trailer	or	header,
or	assigned	to	different
SAYs	(one	as	trailer,	the
other	as	header).
Modules	in	terms	other
than	summer	must	be
combined	with	each	other
or	with	other	terms	and
treated	as	single	standard
or	SE9W	nonstandard	term
(affects	all	
Title	IV
programs).
Student	need	not	enroll	in
each	module,	but	must
have	been	able	to	enroll	at
least	half	time	in	combined
term.
Modules	(summer	or
otherwise)	must	be
combined	with	each
other	or	with	other
terms	and	treated
as	single	standard
or	nonstandard
term	(affects	all
Title	IV	programs).
Student	need	not
enroll	in	each
module,	but	must
have	been	able	to
enroll	at	least	half
time	in	combined
term.
Modules	(summer	or
otherwise)	must	be
combined	with	each
other	or	with	other
terms	and	treated
as	single	standard
or	nonstandard
term	(affects	all
Title	IV	programs).
Student	need	not
enroll	in	each
module,	but	must
have	been	able	to
enroll	at	least	half
time	in	combined
term.
N/A
Annual	Loan	Limit	Increase	Based	on	Grade	Level	Progression	or	Dependency	Status	Change
The	annual	loan	limit	for	Direct	Subsidized	and	Unsubsidized	Loans	increases	as	a	student	progresses	in	grade	level.
Generally,	a	student9s	grade	level	for	loan	limit	purposes	is	set	according	to	the	school9s	academic	standards.
While	the	law	defines	minimum	coursework	for	an	academic	year,	it	doesn9t	define	how	much	coursework	a	student	must
complete	to	progress	from	one	grade	level	to	another.	Unless	a	student9s	program	of	study	or	a	school9s	academic
standards	clearly	specify	when	this	grade-level	progression	takes	place,	a	reasonable	approach	would	be	to	base	grade
levels	on	the	number	of	credits	required	for	the	program,	divided	by	the	number	of	academic	years	it	takes	a	typical
Chapter	2:	Filling	Out	the	FAFSA
We	added	a	section	on	signatures	which	describes	the	appropriate	use	of	the	signature	page	from	the	FAFSA	Partner
Portal	(FPP).
We	expanded	the	<Student	Tax	Filing	Status	(19)=	section	to	include	subsections	on	(1)	nontax	filers,	foreign
countries,	and	international	organizations	and	(2)	fiscal	year	tax	returns.
We	updated	the	tax	line	number	used	for	education	credits	to	IRS	Form	1040:	line	29	+	IRS	Form	1040	Schedule	3:
line	3.
We	moved	the	section	on	foreign	earned	income	exclusion	to	Chapter	5.
We	expanded	<Parent	Tax	Filing	Status	(37)=	section	to	explain	the	six	answer	options	on	the	FAFSA	form	and	when
each	answer	should	be	selected.	This	section	also	explains	when	an	answer	to	this	question	might	be	conflicting
information	that	requires	resolution	(comment	code	303).
Chapter	3:	Student	Aid	Index	(SAI)	and	Pell	Grant	E ligibility
Edits	to	this	chapter	include	general	changes	and	updated	links,	but	no	significant	changes	or	reorganization.
Chapter	4:	Verification,	Updates,	and	Corrections
We	added	a	note	regarding	the	unavailability	of	the	Verification	of	Identity	functionality	in	the	FPP	and	the	flexibility
the	Department	provided	around	reporting	timeframes.
We	added	a	note	to	the	<Using	the	Tax	Return=	section	regarding	the	treatment	negative	values	when	calculating
Income	Earned	from	Work.
We	renamed	the	<Special	Cases=	section	to	<Unique	Situations	and	Exceptions=	and	moved	<Verification	for	Confined
or	Incarcerated	Individuals=	to	a	subsection	under	this	renamed	section.
Under	<Filers	of	Amended	Returns=,	we	removed	the	exception	to	not	update	tax	information	for	certain	amended
tax	return	filers.	This	exception	was	outlined	in	Electronic	Announcement	GEN-24-29	and	was	limited	to	the	2024-25
application	cycle.
We	updated	acceptable	documentation	guidance	for	individuals	who	are	victims	of	tax-related	identity	theft.
We	added	subsection	<Birth	of	a	Child=	under	the	<Updating	Information=	section.
Chapter	5:	Special	Cases
We	moved	the	section	on	foreign	earned	income	exclusion	from	Chapter	2.
Information	Record)	will	be	considered	verified.	A	pending	username	and	password	that	has	not	been	verified	will	still
allow	the	user	to	access	and	submit	the	online	FAFSA	form	and	complete	other	limited	actions	on	StudentAid.gov.
However,	the	Department	will	not	be	able	to	retrieve	federal	tax	data	from	the	Internal	Revenue	Service	(IRS).	For	this
reason,	we	recommend	that	users	do	not	sign	and	submit	the	online	FAFSA	form	until	the	account	username	and
password	is	verified	through	a	match	with	the	SSA.
If	the	SSN	match	is	unsuccessful,	the	account	is	not	considered	verified,	and	an	email	is	sent	to	notify	the	individual	that
they	should	review	the	information	they	provided	(name,	date	of	birth,	and	SSN)	to	ensure	it	is	accurate.	If	the	applicant
used	an	unverified	account	username	and	password	to	sign	their	FAFSA	form,	the	applicant	is	also	sent	a	paper	FAFSA
Submission	Summary	requesting	all	required	signatures.
TransUnion ®	Knowledge-Based	Identity	Verification
Users	who	create	a	StudentAid.gov	account	without	an	SSN	will	be	required	to	complete	a	knowledge-based	identity
verification	process	with	TransUnion®	to	verify	their	identity	and	provide	login	credentials.	The	student	(if	a	citizen	of	one
of	the	Freely	Associated	States	-	the	Republic	of	the	Marshall	Islands,	the	Republic	of	Palau,	or	the	Federated	States	of
Micronesia),	student9s	spouse,	parent,	or	parent	spouse/partner	are	sent	through	the	TransUnion®	process	when	they	do
not	have	an	SSN	and	check	the	<I	don9t	have	an	SSN=	box	during	the	account	creation	process.	They	will	be	asked	to
provide	additional	information	to	confirm	their	identity.
FAFSA	Filers	Under	the	Age	of	13
Because	the	Children9s	Online	Privacy	Protection	Act	(COPPA)	of	1998	prohibits	any	entity,	including	a	government
agency,	from	electronically	conducting	business	or	communicating	with	a	person	under	age	13,	applicants	who	are	12	or
younger	cannot	complete	the	FAFSA	form	online.	Instead,	when	they	apply	for	financial	aid,	the	student	and	required
contributor(s)	can	fill	out	the	appropriate	award	year	paper	(PDF)	FAFSA	form	and	mail	it	to:
Federal	Student	Aid	Programs
Attn:	COPPA	Process
25	Air	Park	Drive
London,	KY	40744-8236
Such	applicants	should	not	provide	an	email	address	on	the	application	or	any	correction	that	might	follow.	After	the
FAFSA	form	is	submitted,	it	will	be	processed	and	a	paper	FAFSA	Submission	Summary	will	be	sent	to	the	student	and	an
ISIR	will	be	sent	to	schools.	See	
Electronic	Announcement	APP-24-02	for	additional	information.
Processing	the	FAFSA
Applications	that	are	signed	and	submitted	online	go	directly	to	the	FPS.	The	paper	FAFSA	forms	go	to	the	FAFSA
processor	for	data	entry	and	then	to	the	FPS.	The	FPS	uses	application	data	to	calculate	the	SAI	and	to	match	the
student9s	information	against	several	databases:	NSLDS,	the	SSA,	and	the	Department	of	Veterans	Affairs,	as	well	as	the
Department	of	Homeland	Security9s	database	of	noncitizens.
Individuals	Without	a	Social	Security	Number
Electronic	Announcement	GENERAL-23-123
Electronic	Announcement	GENERAL-24-52
Electronic	Announcement	GENERAL-24-95
Electronic	Announcement	GENERAL-24-140
Volume	4A	3	Record	Layouts	(PDF	and	Excel)
Volume	4B	3	Processing	Codes	(PDF	and	Excel)
Volume	5	3	Edits	and	Rejects	(PDF)
Volume	6	3	ISIR	Guide	(PDF)
Volume	7	3	Comment	Codes	(PDF)
Volume	8	3	Agency	Matches	(PDF)
Volume	9	3	Testing	and	Web	Demo	System	(PDF)
FPS	Test	ISIR	Data	Files	(ZIP)
FPS/SAIG	Technical	Support4For	questions	related	to	the	FAFSA	Processing	System	(FPS),	the	Student	Aid
Internet	Gateway	(SAIG),	web	products	such	as	the	FAFSA	Partner	Portal	(FPP),	and	assistance	with	software
products	such	as	EDconnect	and	EDExpress.	Questions	related	to	Two	Factor	Authentication	(TFA)	tokens	may
also	be	directed	here.	Call	or	email	FPS	customer	service:	1-800-330-5947,	support@fps.ed.gov.
Technical	system	publications4Federal	Student	Aid	has	consolidated	software	and	other	tools	used	by	the
financial	aid	community	for	student	aid	processing	on	this	page.
FSA	Help	Center4Collection	of	additional	help	and	resources,	including	contact	information	for	FSA	Customer
Service	Centers.
The	student	was	born	before	January	1,	2002.
From	Question	3:
The	student	is	married	(not	separated)	or	remarried	as	of	the	application	date.
From	Question	4:
The	student	is	a	graduate	or	professional	student	during	the	award	year.
From	Question	5:
The	student	is	currently	serving	on	active	duty	in	the	U.S.	armed	forces	for	purposes	other	than	training.
The	student	is	a	veteran	of	the	U.S.	armed	forces.
The	student	has	children	or	dependents	other	than	a	spouse	(see	note	below	for	an	explanation	of	why	an	individual
may	not	be	asked	this	question,	even	if	they	appear	to	have	children	or	dependents	included	in	their	family	size).
The	student	is	(or	was	at	any	time	after	reaching	the	age	of	13)	an	orphan,	ward	of	the	court,	or	in	foster	care.
The	student	is	(or	was	when	the	student	reached	the	age	of	majority)	a	legally	emancipated	minor	or	in	a	legal
guardianship	(with	someone	other	than	their	parent	or	stepparent),	as	determined	by	a	court	in	the	student9s	state	of
legal	residence.
From	Question	6:
The	student	was	at	any	time	on	or	after	July	1,	2024,	determined	to	be	unaccompanied	and	(1)	homeless	or	(2)	self-
supporting	and	at	risk	of	being	homeless	with	a	determination	from	one	of	the	entities	listed	on	the	FAFSA	form.
In	unusual	circumstances,	an	aid	administrator	can	determine	that	a	student	who	doesn9t	meet	any	of	the	criteria	listed
above	should	still	be	treated	as	an	independent	student.	A	student	may	indicate	that	they	have	an	unusual	circumstance
by	selecting	<Yes=	to	Question	7	on	the	FAFSA	form.	The	student	may	then	skip	the	parent	sections	of	the	form.	Students
who	select	<Yes=	to	this	question	will	be	given	provisional	independent	student	status	and	directed	to	provide
documentation	to	their	financial	aid	office	for	determination.	(See	<Unusual	Circumstances=	in	Chapter	5.)
Active	Duty	in	the	U.S.	Armed	Forces
Note:	The	FAFSA	Simplification	Act	required	ED	to	limit	or	eliminate	unnecessary	questions	from	the	FAFSA	form.
If	the	answer	to	a	question	is	not	necessary	to	determine	a	student9s	eligibility	for	federal	student	aid	or	if	the
answer	is	available	or	derivable	from	answers	to	other	questions,	the	Department	is	not	permitted	to	require	the
student	to	provide	an	answer.
For	example,	when	completing	the	FAFSA	form	online,	applicants	are	only	asked	if	they	have	children	or
dependents	other	than	a	spouse	if	they	are	under	the	age	of	24.	A	student	aged	24	or	older	will	not	have	the
opportunity	to	answer	this	question	as	they	are	independent	by	age,	making	this	question	unnecessary.	In	FPP,
the	answer	to	this	question	will	be	<Blank=;	on	the	student9s	ISIR,	the	answer	to	this	question	will	be	<No=.
Therefore,	you	should	not	assume	that	a	<Blank=	or	<No=	indicates	the	student	does	not	have	children	or	other
dependents.	It	is	possible	for	an	applicant	to	have	a	<No=	or	<Blank=	response	to	this	question	and	report	a	family
size	that	appears	to	include	dependents	other	than	a	spouse.	This	is	not,	on	its	own,	conflicting	information.
Independent	Student	Determination
HEA	Sec.	480(d)
Examples	of	eligible	noncitizen	categories	are	given	in	the	FAFSA	instructions,	and	a	detailed	discussion	of	citizenship
issues	can	be	found	in	Volume	1	of	the	FSA	Handbook.	Only	U.S.	citizens	or	certain	classes	of	noncitizens	are	eligible	for
Title	IV	aid;	however,	other	students	can	still	submit	the	FAFSA	form	because	they	might	be	eligible	for	aid	from
institutional,	state,	or	private	sources	that	do	not	have	the	same	requirements	but	use	FAFSA	information.
Students	who	select	<Eligible	noncitizen=	should	include	their	A-Number,	if	they	have	one.
Student	State	of	Legal	Residence	(14)
This	is	used	to	determine	which	poverty	guideline	to	use	when	evaluating	eligibility	for	a	Maximum	or	Minimum	Pell	Grant
for	an	independent	student.
This	is	also	used	to	determine	which	state	agency	should	receive	the	student9s	FAFSA	information.	States	have	varying
criteria	for	determining	whether	the	student	is	a	resident	for	purposes	of	their	financial	aid.	However,	residing	in	one	state
for	five	years	(or	more)	will	meet	any	state9s	criteria.
Parent	Education	Status	(15)
Some	state	agencies	and	institutions	use	this	information	to	award	grants	and	scholarships.
Parent	Killed	in	the	Line	of	Duty	(16)
A	student	may	be	eligible	for	a	Maximum	Pell	Grant	if	they	have	a	parent	or	guardian	who	died	in	the	line	of	duty	while
either	(1)	serving	on	active	duty	as	a	member	of	the	U.S.	armed	forces	on	or	after	September	11,	2001,	or	(2)	performing
official	duties	as	a	public	safety	officer.	You	should	evaluate	students	who	select	<Yes=	to	this	question	for	additional	Pell
Grant	eligibility	under	HEA	Sec.	401(c).	See	Volume	7	of	the	FSA	Handbook	for	additional	guidance.
Student	High	School	Information	(17)
The	student	indicates	one	of	the	following	high	school	completion	statuses:
High	school	diploma
State-recognized	high	school	equivalent	(e.g.,	GED	certificate)
Homeschooled
None	of	the	previous
A	foreign	secondary	education	credential	typically	counts	as	a	high	school	diploma.
A	state-recognized	high	school	equivalent	is	what	students	receive	after	passing	a	<state	authorized	examination.=	This
includes	tests	comparable	to	the	GED4i.e.,	those	created	and	distributed	by	a	test	publisher4such	as	the	High	School
Special	Rule
HEA	Sec.	401(c),	as	amended	by	the	FAFSA	Simplification	Act
Foreign	High	School	Diploma
FHD-Q1	on	the	program	integrity	website
Equivalency	Test	(HiSET)	or	the	Test	Assessing	Secondary	Completion	(TASC),	as	well	as	those	established	by	states,	for
example,	the	California	High	School	Proficiency	Exam	(CHSPE).	California	considers	a	passing	grade	on	the	CHSPE	to	be
equivalent	to	a	diploma.
<None	of	the	previous=	includes	those	who	have	the	recognized	equivalent	of	a	high	school	diploma	other	than	a	state-
recognized	certificate	or	who	may	qualify	under	the	Ability-to-Benefit	(ATB)	alternatives	(see	
Volume	1,	Chapter	1	of	the
FSA	Handbook	for	additional	information	on	ATB	alternatives).
If	the	student	selects	<High	School	Diploma,=	they	must	include	the	name,	city	and	state	(or	FC	for	foreign	country)	where
the	student	received	or	will	receive	their	diploma.	On	the	FAFSA	website,	the	student	can	use	city	and	state	to	search	for
their	high	school.	If	they	are	unable	to	find	their	high	school	using	the	search	functionality,	they	can	manually	enter	the
high	school	information.	If	the	student	selects	<State-recognized	high	school	equivalent,=	they	must	indicate	the
equivalent	type	(GED,	TASC,	HiSET,	or	Other)	and	the	issuing	state.	See	Volume	1,	Chapter	1	of	the	FSA	Handbook,
regarding	a	school9s	policy	about	checking	the	validity	of	a	high	school	diploma.
Federal	Benefits	Received	(18)
A	student	may	be	eligible	to	have	their	assets	excluded	from	the	SAI	calculation	if	they	(or	someone	in	their	family)
received	one	(or	more)	of	the	following	federal	benefits	during	the	2023	or	2024	calendar	years.
Earned	income	credit	(EIC)
Federal	housing	assistance
Free	or	reduced-price	school	lunch*
Medicaid
Refundable	credit	for	coverage	under	a	qualified	health	plan	(QHP)
Supplemental	Nutrition	Assistance	Program	(SNAP)
Supplemental	Security	Income	(SSI)
Temporary	Assistance	for	Needy	Families	(TANF)
Special	Supplemental	Nutrition	Program	for	Women,	Infants,	and	Children	(WIC)
*Some	individuals	may	receive	free	or	reduced-price	school	lunch	due	to	community	eligibility	rather	than	household
eligibility.	Students	should	only	indicate	they	received	free	or	reduced-price	school	lunch	on	the	FAFSA	form	if	they	meet
the	income	eligibility	guidelines	published	by	the	U.S.	Department	of	Agriculture.
Student	Tax	Filing	Status	(19)
This	three-part	question	asks	the	following:
1.	 If	the	student	did	(or	will)	file	a	2023	IRS	1040	or	1040-NR.
2.	 Whether	the	student	either	(1)	earned	income	in	a	foreign	country	in	2023,	(2)	worked	for	an	international
organization	in	2023	and	was	not	required	to	report	income	on	any	tax	return,	or	(3)	filed	a	2023	tax	return	in	Puerto
Rico	or	another	U.S.	territory.
3.	 Finally,	married	students	are	asked	if	they	filed	their	2023	tax	return	with	their	current	spouse.
Unmarried	students	who	answer	<no=	to	the	first	two	parts	of	the	question	are	considered	non-tax	filers	and,	if
independent,	do	not	need	to	answer	any	additional	questions	about	income	or	assets.	Married	students	who	answer	<no=
to	the	first	two	parts	of	the	question	will	still	need	to	provide	identity	and	contact	information	about	their	spouse.
Recognized	Equivalent	of	a	High	School	Diploma
34	CFR	600.2
Preparer	Identity	Information	(47)
First	name,	last	name,	and	either	Social	Security	number	(SSN)	or	Employer	Identification	Number	(EIN).
Preparer	Contact	Information	(48)
This	is	the	preparer9s	affiliation	or	organization	and	mailing	address.
Preparer	Signature	(49)
The	preparer	must	sign	and	date	the	FAFSA	form.
Note:	This	section	appears	on	the	paper	(PDF)	FAFSA	form,	but	the	Preparer	role	will	not	be	available	in	the	online
FAFSA	form	for	the	2025-26	award	year.
Chapter	3
Student	Aid	Index	(SAI)	and	Pell	Grant	Eligibility
A	student	may	qualify	for	a	Pell	Grant	in	one	of	three	ways:
Maximum	Pell	Grant	(Max	Pell)
Minimum	Pell	Grant	(Min	Pell)
Calculated	Pell	Grant,	based	on	SAI	(Calculated	Pell	=	Max	Pell	minus	SAI)
The	first	two	paths	to	Pell	Grant	eligibility	are	briefly	discussed	below.	See	Volume	7	of	the	FSA	Handbook	for	additional
information	on	Pell	Grant	eligibility.	Most	of	this	chapter	is	spent	discussing	how	the	SAI	is	calculated.
General	Information
The	FAFSA	Processing	System	(FPS)	uses	data	provided	by	the	applicant	and	contributors	on	the	FAFSA	form	to	determine
Max	or	Min	Pell	Grant	eligibility	and	calculate	the	SAI.
Maximum	Pell	Grant	Eligibility	Criteria
A	student	is	eligible	for	a	Maximum	Pell	Grant	if	any	of	the	following	is	true:
Dependent	Student
The	student9s	parent(s)	is	not	required	to	file	a	federal	income	tax	return;	or
The	student9s	parent	is	a	single	parent	and	has	an	AGI	greater	than	zero	and	less	than	or	equal	to	225%	of	the
poverty	guideline	for	the	applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence;	or
The	student9s	parent	is	not	a	single	parent	and	has	an	AGI	greater	than	zero	and	less	than	or	equal	to	175%	of	the
poverty	guideline	for	the	applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence.
Independent	Student
The	student	(and	spouse,	if	applicable)	is	not	required	to	file	a	federal	income	tax	return;	or
The	student	is	a	single	parent	and	has	an	AGI	greater	than	zero	and	less	than	or	equal	to	225%	of	the	poverty
guideline	for	the	applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence;	or
The	student	is	not	a	single	parent	and	has	an	AGI	greater	than	zero	and	less	than	or	equal	to	175%	of	the	poverty
guideline	for	the	applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence.
SAI	for	Maximum	Pell	Grant	Recipients
A	dependent	student	whose	parents	are	not	required	to	file	a	federal	income	tax	return	OR	an	independent	student	(and
spouse,	if	applicable)	who	is	not	required	to	file	a	federal	income	tax	return	for	the	prior-prior	tax	year	is	assigned	an	SAI
equal	to	-1500.	Other	students	eligible	for	a	Maximum	Pell	Grant	will	be	assigned	an	SAI	equal	to	0	or	a	calculated	SAI,
whichever	is	less.
Minimum	Pell	Grant	Eligibility	Criteria
Maximum	Pell	Grant	Eligibility
HEA	Sec.	401(b)(1)(A)
A	student	who	does	not	qualify	for	a	Maximum	Pell	Grant	or	for	a	calculated	Pell	Grant	because	the	SAI	is	too	high	can	still
be	eligible	for	a	Minimum	Pell	Grant	if	any	of	the	following	is	true:
Dependent	Student
The	student9s	parent	is	a	single	parent	and	has	an	AGI	less	than	or	equal	to	325%	of	the	poverty	guideline	for	the
applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence;	or
The	student9s	parent	is	not	a	single	parent	and	has	an	AGI	less	than	or	equal	to	275%	of	the	poverty	guideline	for	the
applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence.
Independent	Student
The	student	is	a	single	parent,	and	the	AGI	is	less	than	or	equal	to	400%	of	the	poverty	line;	or
The	student	is	a	parent	and	is	not	a	single	parent,	and	the	AGI	is	less	than	or	equal	to	350%	of	the	poverty	guideline
for	the	applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence;	or
The	student	is	not	a	parent,	and	the	student9s	(and	spouse9s	if	applicable)	AGI	is	less	than	or	equal	to	275%	of	the
poverty	guideline	for	the	applicant9s	family	size	and	state	of	residence.
SAI	for	Minimum	Pell	Grant	Recipients
Students	eligible	for	a	Minimum	Pell	Grant	under	this	guidance	retain	their	calculated	SAI.
Student	Aid	Index	(SAI)	Formulas
The	SAI	formulas	use	income,	assets,	and	the	number	of	persons	in	the	family	size	for	the	award	year.
The	law	gives	three	SAI	formulas:
1.	Formula	A	3	Dependent	students,
2.	Formula	B	3	Independent	students	without	dependents	other	than	a	spouse,	and
3.	Formula	C	3	Independent	students	with	dependents	other	than	a	spouse
Tables	used	in	the	computation	of	the	SAI	are	updated	annually	and	published	on	the	Knowledge	Center	in	a	Federal
Register.	The	Department9s	2025-26	Student	Aid	Index	(SAI)	and	Pell	Grant	Eligibility	Guide	is	also	updated	annually	and
available	at	fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center	in	the	Library	section	under	Resource	Type	>	Handbooks,	Manuals,	or
Guides.
The	FAFSA	Simplification	Act	eliminated	the	simplified	needs	test	and	automatic	zero	provisions.	However,	some
applicants	will	be	exempt	from	reporting	assets	and/or	will	have	assets	excluded	from	consideration	in	the	SAI	formula.
Minimum	Pell	Grant	Eligibility
HEA	Sec.	401(b)(1)(C)
SAI	Formulas
HEA	Sec.	474-479