Pell Grant question.

[DaddyDavid]

After tuition etc is pad, can off campus rent be paid with Pell Grant funds?

[Flamingo]

When my daughter received a Pell Grant in college, it went directly to the school as it is not a loan but a grant that is applied toward and reduces tuition. I highly doubt it - speak with your financial aid office at the school.

[backtoschool]

Pell grants usually cover tuition only, and usually don't cover complete tuition. The financial aid department at your school usually takes a living expense and tuition expense formula based on your dependency status, year in school, etc and then awards the pell grants and loans based on your official budget. It is rare that grants are given that come to more than tuition. Usually stafford loans are needed to meet the complete need for financial aid. You are allowed to use your "refund" from your stafford loans for living expenses though.

Edited to add an update: I just checked the financial aid rules and pell grants can be used for both tuition and living expenses if awarded in an amount that covers both. Whether you are awarded a grant that covers both your tuition and your living expenses will depend on your need and expected contribution based on your fafsa data. Here is a link to the official govt. website for more info.

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/index.html

[bigtim6656]

Here we can pay our tuition with it, books, any toys in the bookstore and that is it. After a few weeks or a month of classes we get a refund for the remainder and any other grants and loans. I am taking 17 hours at my college(2year community) and my pell paid for my tuition and my books. My tuition is about 100 bucks a credit hour plus abotu 200 in fee for consumables for my welding class, and other tech classes. I am getting 6200 back and it will buy me a much needed new computer tire, food for a few months, and pay my bk filing cost.

[Exployer1234]

I applied for pell grants and loans for the fall/spring. The pell grants only cover a small portion of the tuition cost for both semesters. I am having to take out additional loans to cover the remaining expense. Each state should have a max amount you can receive for pell grants. Average tuition for a 4 year school is 6000 dollars. That does not cover your books or living expenses. Average pell grant you may receive per semester is around 2500 for each semester if you make less then 15,000 per year. You will still need to have additional loans to cover your cost of living.

As stated before by other people you will have to take out additional loans to cover your other expenses. Pell grants only cover a limited amount.