Financial Aid Maximum Limits

Financial Aid Maximum Limits

There are federal yearly and lifetime limits to receiving federal financial aid.  Most of these limits are based on a Bachelor’s Degree Program and are cumulative based on all previous schools attended and financial aid received.

The majority of UH Maui College Programs are associate degrees.  Students are highly suggested to monitor the amount of pell grant and loans they are receiving to ensure they have enough financial aid to attain their current and future educational goals.

Graduating on time.  There are additional limits to the amount of financial aid you receive based on how many credits you have attempted and how long you’ve been in a degree program.  Students should only take classes that apply towards their degree to ensure they have enough financial aid and minimize your loan debt.

Pell Grants

Yearly Limit:  Maximum award amount is based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by your FAFSA.  Students have the equivalent of two full time semesters worth of pell grant.  Students are generally only eligible for summer pell grant if they have not attended full time in fall and spring.

Lifetime Limit:  Students have the equivalent of 12 full time semesters or when a student graduates with a bachelor’s degree they are no longer eligible to receive pell grants.

You can view your current grant usage by visiting nslds.ed.gov

After signing in, look under the title ‘Grants’ and look for your ‘Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used’.  One full time semester is equivalent to 50% and so you would reach your pell lifetime limit at 600%.

 Student Loans

Yearly Limit:  Your yearly limit takes numerous factors into account when determining an award amount.  Although we list maximum amounts below, you many not qualify for the full amount.  The FAFSA application determines whether you are independent or dependent according to federal guidelines.

Lifetime Limit (Commonly referred to as Aggregate Limit):

Dependent Student:     $31000, with a maximum of $23000 being subsidized

Independent Student:  $57500, with a maximum of $23000 being subsidized

Degree Limit:  This is a very recent regulation that was enacted and only affects students who have: 1)Taken loans for the first time after July 1, 2013 or 2)Have paid off all previous students loans and had a $0 balance and are a now taking a student loan after July 1, 2013.

Students have 150% of their current declared program length (not credits) to graduate with their degree or any subsidized loans previously taken will lose it’s subsidy and interest will begin accruing.  Program length is determined by the campus and usually can be found in the general catalog or online at maui.hawaii.edu .  Any previous attendance in a program (even at another school) where the student did not graduate, will be taken into account in determining how long you have attended. Examples are provided below for more clarity.

Example – Liberal Arts ( Program length 2 years or 4 semesters )

4 semesters x 150% = 6 semesters maximum program length to graduate before any subsidized loans lose its subsidy and begin accruing interest.

If students do not take their full subsidized loan amount that they were offered and do not attend full-time status than your attendance length will be prorated.

*All financial aid rules and regulations are subject to change or updated at any time by the U.S. Government.