Friday, December 16, 2011

College students taking more than six years to obtain their undergraduate degree would have their Pell grants cut off next school year under a massive spending bill passed Friday in the House.

Millions of low-income students annually receive Pell grants, which don't have to be paid back.

The bill keeps the maximum grant award at $5,550, but seeks to save $11 billion in Pell dollars over the next decade. It does that in part by reducing the maximum number of years the grant can be received from nine to six.

Amy Wilkins is the vice president for government affairs and communications at the advocacy group Education Trust. She says about 100,000 students could be affected. It's estimated many of them are transfer students or those working while going to school.