Effective Date: March 25, 2024
Issuing Authority: Executive Vice President
Policy Contact: Associate Vice President for Student Financial Planning, financialplanning@mercer.edu, 478-301-2670
Purpose
This policy outlines when a student’s Pell award can be adjusted.
Scope
This policy applies to all Pell Grant recipients enrolled at Mercer University.
Exclusions
None
Policy Statement
Mercer University is implementing a strategy to optimize Pell Grant eligibility for students by introducing a Pell Recalculation Date (PRD). The PRD is essentially the benchmark date each semester when a student’s enrollment status is determined and locked in for the purpose of calculating Pell Grant eligibility. Enrollment status is categorized based on the number of credit hours a student is registered for in a semester, as follows: less than 6 credit hours qualifies as less-than-half-time, 6 to 8 credit hours as half-time, 9 to 11 credit hours as three-quarter-time, and 12 or more hours as full-time.
The PRD coincides with the scheduled financial aid disbursement date each semester, or for semesters divided into sessions, the disbursement date for the first session. A student’s enrollment status on this date dictates their Pell Grant eligibility for the entire semester. After the PRD, except for mandatory recalculations, any changes in enrollment status will not affect the student’s Pell Grant amount.
For students enrolled in multiple sessions within a semester, it’s crucial to achieve full-time enrollment status by the last drop/add of the first session to secure a full-time Pell Grant award. Enrollment is counted across all sessions at that time. Credits added after the PRD will not influence the Pell Grant amount. Additionally, students who attend all their registered classes by the scheduled disbursement date will receive Pell Grants based on their enrollment status at that time, regardless of any subsequent changes before the actual disbursement.
Disbursement dates are posted on the Bursar website for each academic year.
Additional Resources
Office of the Bursar: https://bursar.mercer.edu
History
Revised July 1, 2023
Revised March 25, 2024