Pell Recalculation

The Pell census date (sometimes referred to as Pell recalculation date) is a date each semester when the Office of Student Aid is required to evaluate Pell Grant eligibility.

The amount of Federal Pell Grant you are eligible to receive is based on your enrollment status at the census date:

• At Penn State, the census date occurs after the drop period for Fall and Spring semesters.
• If your enrollment status changes before this date, we will adjust the amount of your Federal Pell Grant.  
• In order to receive the maximum Pell Grant, we encourage you to finalize your course schedule by each semester's census date
• If you drop a course before census date, your award will be reduced.
• Courses added after census date will not count toward Pell eligibility. 

2023-24 Census Dates:

• Fall 2023 is Tuesday, August 29th
• Spring 2024 is Tuesday, January 16th
• Summer 2024 is Tuesday, July 2nd

NOTE: If you initially enroll for the semester after the Census Date for that semester, your official Census Date will be the date when you enroll.

Verification and Census Date

While updates to your FAFSA may change the Pell Grant award amount based on a change to the EFC, it does not change the award amount based on enrollment.

Example: If you were awarded a full-time Pell Grant at the census date, and you drop to 9 credits after the census date, your official Census Date will be the date when you enroll and the number of credits scheduled that day.