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Federal student aid beyond Pell (FSEOG grants, Federal Work-Study and Direct Subsidized Loans from the same FAFSA): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens next

The FAFSA that opens the Pell Grant also opens three more federal programs: the FSEOG grant ($100 to $4,000 a year), Federal Work-Study jobs, and Direct Subsidized Loans whose interest the government pays while the student is in school. FSEOG and Work-Study are limited funds handed out by each school, so the school's own deadline matters. Apply by filing the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov.

What federal student aid beyond Pell is, in one paragraph

The FAFSA is one application for several federal programs. Besides the Pell Grant it opens the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), a grant for undergraduates with exceptional need; Federal Work-Study, a part-time job paid at least the federal minimum wage; and Direct Subsidized Loans, on which the government pays the interest while the student is in school at least half-time. FSEOG and Work-Study are campus-based: each school gets a fixed amount each year and hands it out until it runs out, so filing early and meeting the school's own deadline decide who gets them.

$100 to $4,000
the FSEOG grant per year, by need and the school's funds (U.S. Department of Education, rule:fseog_amount)

Who may qualify

FSEOG: undergraduates with exceptional financial need at a participating school (rule:fseog_who). Work-Study: undergraduate, graduate and professional students with financial need, full-time or part-time (rule:fws_who). Direct Subsidized Loans: undergraduates with financial need; the loan may not exceed the need (rule:sub_who). All three follow the basic federal aid rules (rule:basic_eligibility) and the need formula: cost of attendance minus the Student Aid Index (rule:need_formula).

Loan limits for undergraduates, unchanged after 1 July 2026 (rule:annual_limits_dependent, rule:annual_limits_independent, rule:aggregate_limits):

YearDependent: total (subsidized max)Independent: total (subsidized max)
First year$5,500 ($3,500)$9,500 ($3,500)
Second year$6,500 ($4,500)$10,500 ($4,500)
Third year and beyond$7,500 ($5,500)$12,500 ($5,500)
Aggregate$31,000 ($23,000)$57,500 ($23,000)
ItemValueRule
FSEOG per year$100 to $4,000rule:fseog_amount
Undergraduate loan rate, 1 Jul 2026 to 30 Jun 20276.52% fixedrule:rate_2026_27
Loan fee1.057%rule:loan_fee
Grace period6 monthsrule:grace_period
Repayment10 to 30 yearsrule:repayment_term

Direct PLUS Loans for graduate borrowers are no longer available (rule:grad_plus_ended).

How to apply, and what happens after

File the FAFSA. The school builds an aid offer from it. Campus-based funds go first-come, so the school's own deadline matters (rule:campus_deadlines).

StageWhat happensWho actsWhat loses people the aid
ApplyFAFSA, every year (rule:annual_fafsa)Student and contributorsFiling after the school's campus-based deadline
OfferFSEOG, Work-Study and loans appear in the aid offerFinancial aid officeFunds already spent (rule:fseog_funds_limited)
Accept a loanEntrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note (rule:accept_loan)StudentAccepting more than needed; a loan can be cancelled before disbursement (rule:cancel_loan)
WorkA work-study job, paid at least monthly, capped at the award (rule:fws_pay, rule:fws_cap)Student and employerNot finding a job before the term
After schoolSix-month grace period, then repayment (rule:grace_period)Loan servicerNot knowing the servicer
The procedure, stage by stage, as data
JSONThe procedure, stage by stage, as data
13 items
10 keys
"id""stage:discover"
"order"1
"name""Discover"
"what_happens""Student learns that the FAFSA also opens FSEOG, Work-Study and subsidized loans, and that campus-based funds run out"
"who_acts""Student / school"
"timeline""Before the school's campus-based deadline"
"evidence""None"
"failure_mode""Filing late after funds are gone"
"model_role""Name the school's deadline as the first fact to find"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:screen_eligibility"
"order"2
"name""Screen eligibility"
"what_happens""Undergraduate or graduate, dependency status, year in school, need"
"who_acts""Model + student"
"timeline""Minutes"
"evidence""Enrollment, dependency, year"
"failure_mode""Confusing subsidized with unsubsidized loans"
"model_role""Separate the three programs and their rules"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:gather_documents"
"order"3
"name""Gather documents"
"what_happens""FSA ID for student and contributors; tax data"
"who_acts""Student and contributors"
"timeline""Before filing"
"evidence""FSA ID, tax return"
"failure_mode""A missing contributor"
"model_role""List the items"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:complete_application"
"order"4
"name""Complete application"
"what_happens""FAFSA with consent to federal tax data"
"who_acts""Student and contributors"
"timeline""Minutes"
"evidence""Tax data by transfer"
"failure_mode""Missing consent (rule:tax_consent)"
"model_role""Explain each question"
"automation_class""B"
10 keys
"id""stage:submit"
"order"5
"name""Submit"
"what_happens""FAFSA submitted; school receives it"
"who_acts""Student"
"timeline""As early as possible"
"evidence""Submission confirmation"
"failure_mode""Filing after the school's deadline"
"model_role""Give the exact address"
"automation_class""B"
10 keys
"id""stage:interview_verification"
"order"6
"name""Interview / verification"
"what_happens""School may verify FAFSA data"
"who_acts""Financial aid office"
"timeline""Set by the school"
"evidence""Requested documents"
"failure_mode""Unanswered requests"
"model_role""Track requests"
"automation_class""C - the school's request and the person's documents"
10 keys
"id""stage:decision"
"order"7
"name""Decision"
"what_happens""Aid offer lists FSEOG, Work-Study and loan amounts"
"who_acts""Financial aid office"
"timeline""Set by the school"
"evidence""Aid offer"
"failure_mode""Not reading the offer"
"model_role""Explain the offer against the limits table"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:accept_loan"
"order"8
"name""Accept loan"
"what_happens""Entrance counseling and Master Promissory Note for a first Direct Loan"
"who_acts""Student"
"timeline""Before disbursement"
"evidence""Signed MPN"
"failure_mode""Borrowing more than needed"
"model_role""State rule:accept_loan and rule:cancel_loan"
"automation_class""B"
10 keys
"id""stage:issuance_use"
"order"9
"name""Issuance / use"
"what_happens""Loan and grant funds applied to the school account first; work-study paid as wages"
"who_acts""School"
"timeline""Each term / monthly"
"evidence""Disbursement, pay"
"failure_mode""Not finding a work-study job"
"model_role""State rule:fws_pay"
"automation_class""D"
10 keys
"id""stage:report_changes"
"order"10
"name""Report changes"
"what_happens""Enrollment changes go to the financial aid office"
"who_acts""Student"
"timeline""When they happen"
"evidence""Enrollment change"
"failure_mode""Dropping below half-time without knowing it starts the grace period"
"model_role""State rule:grace_period"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:renew_recertify"
"order"11
"name""Renew / recertify"
"what_happens""File the FAFSA every year"
"who_acts""Student"
"timeline""Every year"
"evidence""New FAFSA"
"failure_mode""Missing a year"
"model_role""State rule:annual_fafsa"
"automation_class""B"
10 keys
"id""stage:appeal_fair_hearing"
"order"12
"name""Appeal / fair hearing"
"what_happens""A student who loses aid for unsatisfactory progress may appeal if the school's policy allows it"
"who_acts""Financial aid office"
"timeline""Deadline set by the school (UNKNOWN)"
"evidence""Documents of the circumstance"
"failure_mode""Not appealing"
"model_role""State rule:sap_appeal"
"automation_class""B"
10 keys
"id""stage:overpayment_exit"
"order"13
"name""Overpayment / exit"
"what_happens""After leaving school: six-month grace period, then 10 to 30 years of repayment"
"who_acts""Loan servicer"
"timeline""Six months after leaving"
"evidence""Servicer notices"
"failure_mode""Not knowing the servicer"
"model_role""State rule:grace_period and rule:repayment_term"
"automation_class""B"

The same facts open other programs

Those connections are not written here by hand. They are read from the California benefits graph, the object that holds all 80 programs, the life events that trigger them and the facts they share. A model screening you for FSEOG, Work-Study and subsidized loans sees the same edges.

What this article shares with the graph
JSONWhat this article shares with the graph
6 keys
"program_id""B075"
"graph""california-benefits-graph"
"related_program_ids" 5 items
"B055"
"B056"
"B057"
"B061"
"B054"
"related_programs" 5 keys
"B055""Federal Pell Grant"
"B056""Cal Grant A / B / C"
"B057""California College Promise Grant (fee waiver) + College Promise (AB 19/AB 2)"
"B061""Extended Foster Care (AB 12) + Chafee grants"
"B054""Free tax preparation: VITA / TCE + Free File + CalFile"
"triggered_by_events"
"shares_facts_with" 4 keys
"education.enrollment.status" 3 items
"B001"
"B056"
"B057"
"household.income.annual" 4 items
"B012"
"B049"
"B050"
"B056"
"person.identity.citizenship" 4 items
"B001"
"B002"
"B011"
"B080"
"person.identity.immigration_status" 5 items
"B001"
"B002"
"B011"
"B024"
"B080"

Official addresses

Related pages
Beside
Federal Pell Grant (federal college grant that does not have to be repaid): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextCal Grant A, B and C (California's state college grant that does not have to be repaid): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextCalifornia College Promise Grant (community college enrollment fee waiver, formerly the BOG waiver) and the California College Promise (AB 19): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextExtended Foster Care (AB 12) and the Chafee Grant (support to age 21 and college money to age 26 for foster youth): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextFree tax preparation: VITA / TCE + Free File + CalFile (free ways to prepare and file federal and California returns): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens next
References (26)
  1. Basic Student Eligibility Criteria — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“be a U.S. citizen or an”
  2. Staying Eligible: satisfactory academic progress appeals — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“reasons for appeal usually include the death of a member of your family, your illness or injury, or other special circumstances”
  3. Staying Eligible — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“continue to apply throughout the time”
  4. How Aid Is Calculated — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“They subtract your SAI from your COA to determine the amount of your financial need”
  5. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.”
  6. FSEOG: award amount — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“You can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year”
  7. FSEOG: limited school funds — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“no more FSEOG awards can be made for that year”
  8. FSEOG: school deadlines — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“Each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds.”
  9. FSEOG: annual FAFSA — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“Your institution will award the FSEOG each year based on that eligibility”
  10. Federal Work-Study — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for students with financial need”
  11. Federal Work-Study: pay — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“earn at least the current federal minimum wage”
  12. Federal Work-Study: hours — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“exceed your total Federal Work-Study award”
  13. Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need.”
  14. Direct Subsidized Loans: who pays the interest — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan”
  15. Direct Loans: grace period — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“six-month grace period before you are required to begin repayment”
  16. Direct Loans: repayment term — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“10 to 30 years to repay your loan”
  17. Direct Loans: steps to accept — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“sign a loan contract called a”
  18. Direct Loans: cancel — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“you may cancel all or part of your loan at any time by notifying your school”
  19. Direct Loans: loan fee — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“is 1.057%”
  20. Loan limits: dependent undergraduates — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“$5,500 (not more than $3,500 can be subsidized)”
  21. Loan limits: independent undergraduates — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“$9,500 (not more than $3,500 can be subsidized)”
  22. Loan limits: aggregate — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“$31,000 (not more than $23,000 can be subsidized)”
  23. Loan limits: graduate PLUS — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“Direct PLUS Loans for graduate borrowers are no longer available.”
  24. Interest rates 2026-27 — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“Interest Rates for Direct Loans First Disbursed on or After July 1, 2026, and Before July 1, 2027”
  25. Interest rates 2026-27: undergraduate — U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid“6.52%”