Your enrollment intensity is the amount of units you're taking out of a maximum of 12 (full-time). It is used to calculate how much money you're eligible for certain cash aid financial aid programs, such as the Pell Grant and Cal Grant. Enrollment intensity does not work the same for Pell and Cal Grants.
What's the difference between enrollment intensity for Pell and Cal Grants?
Enrollment intensity for Pell Grant is exactly proportional, meaning every additional 0.5 units will increase your Pell Grant award.
Your semester award (maximum possible Pell you can receive in a semester, i.e., your annual award divided by 2) is multiplied the proportion of units you’re taking over 12. For example, if you’re taking 6 units, you would multiply your semester award by 1/2 or half (50%) of the total. If you’re taking 10 units, you would
multiply your semester award by 10/12, or 83.3% of the total.
How do I know how much money I'm going to get?
Find your attending units and annual award, then use the table below to calculate your disbursement amount. Subtract your current account balance from the disbursement amount. That is the amount that will actually be deposited into your bank account in 5–7 business days.
Pell Grant Enrollment Intensity Table
This table assumes that the student is receiving $7395 as their award for fall/spring. It would be the largest number you see next to Pell Grant in your Financial Aid Dashboard under the Offer tab.
| Units | Enrollment Intensity | Pell Annual Award | Pell Semester Award | Actual Annual Award Paid | Actual Semester Award Paid | Disbursement Amounts (Fall/Spring) |
| Number of units | Number of units divided by 12 | Number found in Offer tab | Pell Annual Award divided by 2 | Pell Annual award multiplied by enrollment intensity | Pell Semester Award multiplied by enrollment intensity | Actual Semester Award Paid divided by 2 |
| 1 | 1/12 = 8.33% = 0.08333 | $7395 | $3698 | $7395 × 0.0833 = $616 | $3698 × 0.0833 = $308 | $308 ÷ 2 = $154 |
| 2 | (2/12) = (1/8) = 16.66% = 0.1666 | $7395 | $3698 | $7395 × 0.1666 = $1232 | $3697.5 × 0.1666 = $616 | $616 ÷ 2 = $308 |
| 3 | (3/12) = (1/4) = 25% = 0.25 | $7395 | $3698 | $7395 ÷ 4 = $1848 | $3698 ÷ 4 = $924 | $924 ÷ 2 = $462 |
| 4 | (4/12) = (1/3) = 33.33% = 0.333 | $7395 | $3698 | $7395 × 0.333 = $2464 | $3698 × 0.333 = $1232 | $1232 ÷ 2 = $616 |
| 6 | (6/12) = (1/2) = 50% = 0.5 | $7395 | $3698 | $7395 ÷ 2 = $3698 | $3698 ÷ 2 = $1848 | $1848 ÷ 2 = $924 |
| 9 | (9/12) = (3/4) = 75% = 0.75 | $7395 | $3698 | 3 units ($1848) + 6 units ($3698) = $5546 | 3 units ($924) + 6 units ($1848) = $2772 | $2772 ÷ 2 = $1386 |
| 12 | 1 = 100% | $7395 | $3698 | $7395 × 1 = $7395 | $3698 × 1 = $3698 | $3698 ÷ 2 = $1848 |
Cal Grant Enrollment Intensity Table
This table assumes that the student is receiving $3000 as their award. It would be the largest number you see next to Pell Grant in your Financial Aid Dashboard under the Offer tab. Remember that Cal Grant is not offered in the summer at Solano.
| Units | Enrollment Intensity | Cal Grant Annual Award | Cal Grant Semester Award | Actual Annual Award Paid | Actual Semester Award Paid | Disbursement Amount |
| Number of units | 3 buckets based on units | Number found in Offer tab | Cal Grant Annual Award divided by 2 | Cal Grant Annual Award multiplied by enrollment intensity | Cal Grant Semester Award multiplied by enrollment intensity | Same as Actual Semester Award Paid |
| 0.5–5.5 | less-than-half time = ineligible | ineligible | ineligible | ineligible | ineligible | ineligible |
| 6–8.5 | half-time = (1/2) = 50% = 0.5 | $3000 | $1500 | $3000 × 0.5 = $1500 | $1500 ÷ 2 = $750 | $750 (paid once per semester) |
| 9–11.5 | three-quarters time = (3/4) = 75% = 0.75 | $3000 | $1500 | $3000 × 0.75 = $2250 | $2250 ÷ 2 = $1125 | $1125 (paid once per semester) |
| 12 or more | full-time = 1 = 100% | $3000 | $1500 | $3000 × 1 = $3000 | $3000 ÷ 2 = $1500 | $1500 (paid once per semester) |