Since July, the Financial Aid Team has been awarding PA State Grants to eligible recipients. Awarded students can view their PA State Grant award and other financial aid on their Student Portal. PA State Grant applicants can also view awards or learn why they are not eligible on PHEAA's Account Access.

The conditional maximum full-time PA State Grant award is $2,630 per semester and the maximum part-time (6 to 11 credits) award is $1,315 per semester. 

All PA State Grant applicants should regularly monitor their email address provided on the 2025-26 FAFSA, which PHEAA will use for communication.

The 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget was finalized in mid-November, which delayed funding for Fall 2025 PA State Grant awards. 

Now that Penn College received its first PA State Grant Fall 2025 semester disbursement roster, a final review of eligibility has begun and students who are eligible for a stipend from a PA State Grant award should receive their stipend by the end of Fall 2025 semester. 

Until the final review is completed, the Financial Aid Team must:

• Remove Fall semester PA State Grant awards for students that withdrew from all courses or whose enrollment status dropped below half-time; students became ineligible
• Reduce Fall semester awards for students whose enrollment status changed from full-time to at least half-time; students’ eligibility decreased

Once Pennsylvania residents submit their 2026-27 FAFSA and PHEAA processes their FAFSA, PHEAA will email an 'account activation notice' to students who do not yet have a GrantUs account and have a complete FAFSA without any holds.

• The activation link will expire after 5 days. If expired, students can access GrantUs by using 'Forgot Password' on PHEAA's GrantUs page.
• PHEAA will send its emails from 'NoReply@grantus.pheaa.org'
• First-time applicants will need to complete the PA State Grant Form and High School Form within GrantUs

More information from PHEAA.

To be eligible, you’ll need to meet specific requirements. You must:

• Be a Pennsylvania resident
• Be enrolled in a major which is at least two full years and 60 credits in length
• Take at least six credits per semester
• Meet other eligibility requirements including satisfactory academic progress (as defined by PHEAA)

You’ll need to complete the FAFSA to be considered for PA State Grants. Your FAFSA information will be electronically transmitted to PHEAA. 

If you received a PA State Grant last year, you need to reapply for the next academic year. Submit next academic year's FAFSA well before May 1. 

If your college and/or housing information changes, you’ll need to update that information on PHEAA's records via GrantUs. 

Note: There is no winter term at Penn College.

Beginning in late March, you can complete your online Pennsylvania Summer State Grant Application. There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.

• Your summer courses must extend for a total of five or more calendar weeks.
• Full-time PA State Grant assistance covers a maximum of four semesters for most associate-degree students or eight semesters for bachelor-degree students. If, for example, you have only two full-time semesters of eligibility remaining, using a summer PA State Grant will mean you have only one full-time semester remaining after summer.
• PHEAA does not determine awards until June or later, which may be too late to help cover your Penn College tuition bill for summer classes.
• Learn more from PHEAA.

Certificate programs may be covered by a PA State Grant, but it depends on the program. PHEAA's policy states that an eligible program must be a minimum of 60 credits and at least four semesters. Therefore, only the following certificate program is eligible for PA State Grants:

• Aviation Maintenance Technician

If you take distance education classes, you are eligible for a PA State Grant as long as you satisfy all other PA State Grant eligibility criteria. 

Learn More

Developmental courses may cause a decrease or removal of PA State Grant aid. PHEAA requires students' schedules to consist of at least 50% regular (non-developmental) credits. PHEAA also limits the number of semesters that developmental credits can be considered as part of enrollment status for grant eligibility. PHEAA refers to these semesters as 'remedial exceptions' and limits the number to two full-time semesters or four part-time semesters. If, for example, you previously used two remedial exceptions, and are enrolled as a full-time student but have fewer than 12 regular credits, you will only receive a part-time PA State Grant.