Pell Grant Modernization Act
Bill: H.R.5926 | Sponsor: Rep. Grothman, Glenn (R-WI)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Pell Grant Modernization Act
This bill revises eligibility requirements under the Federal Pell Grant Program.
Specifically, the bill reduces from 12 to 10 the total number of semesters during which a student may receive a Pell Grant.
In addition, the bill increases the number of credits that a student must complete each semester in order to be considered a full-time student.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to adjust the period of 
      eligibility for Federal Pell Grants, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pell Grant Modernization Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL PELL GRANTS.

    (a) 10-Semester Period of Eligibility.--
            (1) Award years prior to award year 2023-2024.--Section 
        401(c)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1070a(c)(5)) is amended by striking ``12 semesters'' both 
        places it appears and inserting ``10 semesters''.
            (2) Award year 2023-2024 and each succeeding award year.--
        Section 401(d)(5)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1070a(c)(5)(A)), as amended by the FAFSA Simplification 
        Act (title VII of division FF of Public Law 116-260), is 
        further amended by striking ``12 semesters'' both places it 
        appears and inserting ``10 semesters''.
    (b) Full-Time Student.--Subparagraph (A) of section 481(a)(2) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(a)(2)) is amended to 
read as follows:
            ``(2)(A) For the purpose of any program under this title, 
        the term academic year shall--
                    ``(i) require--
                            ``(I) a minimum of 30 weeks of 
                        instructional time for a course of study that 
                        measures its program length in credit hours; or
                            ``(II) a minimum of 26 weeks of 
                        instructional time for a course of study that 
                        measures its program length in clock hours;
                    ``(ii) require an undergraduate course of study to 
                contain an amount of instructional time whereby a full-
                time student is expected to complete at least--
                            ``(I) 30 semester or trimester hours or 45 
                        quarter credit hours in a course of study that 
                        measures its program length in credit hours; or
                            ``(II) 1,125 clock hours in a course of 
                        study that measures its program length in clock 
                        hours;
                    ``(iii) require an undergraduate course of study to 
                contain an amount of instructional time whereby a \3/
                4\-time student is expected to complete at least--
                            ``(I) 22 semester or trimester hours or 33 
                        credit hours in a course of study that measures 
                        its program length in credit hours; or
                            ``(II) 825 clock hours in a course of study 
                        that measures its program length in clock 
                        hours;
                    ``(iv) require an undergraduate course of study to 
                contain an amount of instructional time whereby a \1/
                2\-time student is expected to complete at least--
                            ``(I) 14 semester or trimester hours or 21 
                        credit hours in a course of study that measures 
                        its program length in credit hours; or
                            ``(II) 525 clock hours in a course of study 
                        that measures its program length in clock 
                        hours; and
                    ``(v) require an undergraduate course of study to 
                contain an amount of instructional time whereby a less 
                than \1/2\-time student is expected to complete less 
                than--
                            ``(I) 14 semester or trimester hours or 21 
                        credit hours in a course of study that measures 
                        its program length in credit hours; or
                            ``(II) 525 clock hours in a course of study 
                        that measures its program in clock hours.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a)(1) and 
(b) shall take effect on July 1, 2022.
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