HELENA — College application season is among us and can be a stressful time for many future college students.
Pell Promise for Montana Students can help relieve some of the stress and pressure surrounding college finances.
To qualify students must be Montanans and have a 3.0 GPA as well as fit certain financial need criteria.
This incoming class will be the first class of Carroll College students who will be eligible for this program.
A Pell Grant is a federal grant that helps students pay for college and is one of the largest federal grant programs for undergraduates. To apply students must submit the FAFSA form which opens on Dec. 1, 2024.
The majority of Pell Grants go to students whose families earn less than $50,000 annually. In Montana, 82% of first-time full-time students receive financial aid, according to ApplyMontana.
"We are supporting our Montana students who are in financial need and qualify for federal Pell Grants," the financial aid director at Carroll College, Janet Riis says.
"We will guarantee tuition and fees, fees will be paid at Carroll College and that’s a combination of our merit scholarships, our other need-based grants from Carroll, and subsidized Stafford Loan," Riis continued.
Beginning in the fall of 2025, Carroll College will cover the remaining tuition for first-time, in-state freshmen enrolled in an undergraduate program who are federal Pell recipients.
This coverage will apply after deducting their federal Pell award, at least $3,500 in subsidized federal Stafford loans, and any additional institutional aid.
The award is renewable each year when the student files a FAFSA, receives a federal Pell Grant, and meets GPA and credit requirements.
In order to be eligible students and their families need to obtain their Federal Student Aid ID to be able to begin the FAFSA process on December 1st.
Carroll College will be hosting three FAFSA prep sessions at the beginning of November. Visit https://www.carroll.edu/ for more information on these dates.
