The SAI cutoff for Pell in 2026-27, and who it hits
From 2026-27, a Student Aid Index of 14,790 or more means no Pell Grant. That’s twice the $7,395 maximum award, a ceiling added by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 7, Ch. 2
Recommended next step
Work out your Student Aid Index
The SAI Calculator runs the federal 2026-27 formula on your numbers and shows which Pell zone you land in.
Calculate my SAISee your Pell, state grant and loans together
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Start the aid checkThe cutoff applies to your SAI, Student Aid Index. The number your FAFSA produces. Schools use it to work out your Pell Grant and other need-based aid: the lower it is, the more aid you can get., so it blocks the minimum Pell an income under the minimum-Pell line would otherwise pay. It never reaches students who meet the maximum-Pell income test: they are assigned the calculated SAI or 0, whichever is less. Source · 2026-27 SAI and Pell Eligibility Guide
The Special Rule for children of certain deceased service members and public safety officers is also exempt.
Where does your income land on the Pell lines?
Answer two questions and you'll see it right here. Nothing to sign up for.
Your SAI puts you in one of four Pell zones
Pell comes three ways: the maximum by income, the minimum by income, or a calculated award of the maximum minus your SAI. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 7, Ch. 2 Read together with the cutoff, they split the SAI scale into four zones.
| Your SAI | Pell for 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| 0 or below | The maximum, $7,395 |
| 1 to 6,655 | $7,395 minus your SAI, rounded to the nearest $5 |
| 6,656 to 14,789 | Only by income: at least $740 if your income is under the minimum-Pell line, otherwise none |
| 14,790 or more | None |
In the second zone every dollar of SAI takes a dollar off the award. The chart shows the slope.
The cutoff hits minimum-Pell households with high SAIs
If your income is above both Pell lines, the cutoff changes nothing for you: an SAI over 6,655 already ruled Pell out. The cutoff matters when income is under the minimum-Pell line but over the maximum-Pell line, and something else pushes the SAI up.
Low income, low SAI
Under the line and the cutoff
- Income
- Under a Pell income line
- SAI
- Under 14,790
- Pell in 2026-27
- Unchanged: the maximum or minimum by income
Modest income, high SAI
For example, sizable assets
- Income
- Over the maximum-Pell line, under the minimum-Pell line
- SAI
- 14,790 or more
- Pell in 2026-27
- None. The minimum-Pell line no longer overrides the SAI
Higher income
Above both lines
- Income
- Above the minimum-Pell line
- SAI
- Over 6,655
- Pell in 2026-27
- None, as before
The FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The free federal form for grants, federal student loans and work-study. Most states and schools use it for their own aid too. counts assets like savings and investments in the SAI, with exclusions such as retirement accounts and your home. Source · 2026-27 SAI and Pell Eligibility Guide Our SAI guide walks through what goes in.
Over the cutoff, other aid still counts
A high SAI ends Pell, not federal aid. Direct Unsubsidized Loans have no financial-need requirement, so a high SAI doesn’t rule them out. Source · StudentAid.gov, Direct Loans Many state and school grants use their own tests, so file the FAFSA anyway: it is the application for all of them.
If your SAI is high because of a change since the tax year the FAFSA reads, such as a job loss or a large one-time expense, ask your aid office for a special circumstances review. Our guide to asking your school to redo your aid shows how.
Frequently asked questions
What SAI do you need to get Pell in 2026-27?
Under 14,790, unless you meet the maximum-Pell income test, which sets your SAI to 0 or less. Below 6,656, Pell is the maximum minus your SAI. Between those numbers, Pell comes only through the minimum-Pell income line.
Does the cutoff apply if my income is under the maximum-Pell line?
No. Meeting the maximum-Pell income test assigns you the calculated SAI or 0, whichever is less, so the cutoff never reaches you. Source · 2026-27 SAI and Pell Eligibility Guide It does apply under the minimum-Pell line: an SAI of 14,790 or more rules that award out.
Can my SAI be negative?
Yes. The SAI can go as low as -1,500, and any SAI of zero or below gets the maximum Pell. What a negative SAI means explains the rest.
Your next step is your own SAI
The zone you’re in comes down to one number. The SAI Calculator works it out with the federal formula before you file.
Find out which side of the cutoff you're on
The SAI Calculator uses the federal formula, so you see your zone before you file.
Calculate my SAIWant your Pell lines by email? Go to the quick check
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these pages. How we check sources
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 7, Chapter 2: Calculating Pell Grants
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 7: Significant Changes for 2026-27
- Federal Student Aid, GEN-26-01: 2026-27 Pell Grant maximum and minimum award amounts
- 2026-27 Student Aid Index and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide (PDF)
- StudentAid.gov, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
Related Resources
Student Aid Index (SAI) explained: the 2026-27 formula
Your SAI runs from -1,500 to 999,999 and is not a bill. For 2026-27, an SAI of 0 or less means the maximum $7,395 Pell. How the formula works, step by step.
Pell Grant income limits 2026-27 and 2027-28 by family size
For 2026-27, a family of four gets the maximum Pell Grant with 2024 AGI up to $54,600, or $70,200 for a single parent. Every limit by family size.
Will Pell go up in 2027-28? What Congress has proposed
Congress has not set the 2027-28 Pell maximum. A House bill would raise it $50 to $7,445; the President's budget keeps $7,395. What decides it, and when.