Questions about the Pell Grant and the FSEOG

<p>My mom, who is my custodial parent listed on the FAFSA, was unemployed/laid off for all of 2011. Her total adjusted income will be just under 13,000, with child support and unemployment. We have no assets to list or anything like that, and I've never held a formal job/dont have any significant money to report. She is not remarried, by the way. So, by the EFC calculator, we'll have an EFC of 0.
By that, I can expect to receive the full 5550 from the Pell, correct? How do they determine the amount of FSEOG given from there?</p>

<p>Yes, if you’re attending an eligible school full-time then you should receive the full Pell (there are different award levels for 3/4 time, 1/2 time, etc.). FSEOG is campus-based federal aid so the schools award it depending on their policies. It must go to those with the low EFCs first but, in reality, there’s often not enough FSEOG funds to go around and it’s often distributed to students in EOP or similar programs first…it’s almost always on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to maximimze your chance of receiving FSEOG (and this also applies to Perkins loans, work study, and other limited funding programs) you should get your FAFSA filed asap.</p>