Due to extended delays in both the availability and the processing of 2024-25 FAFSAs as well as PHEAA’s (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) implementation of its new GrantUs platform, PHEAA delayed the release of 2024-25 PA State Grant eligibility information. 

Starting in late autumn and continuing throughout the winter, the Financial Aid Team has been awarding PA State Grants to eligible recipients.

The 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. 

As of early March 2025, students can view their PA State Grant award or ineligibility reason in GrantUs. PHEAA also plans to email students who still have outstanding tasks for the 2024-25 award year. 

If you are a Pennsylvania resident who completed a 2024-25 FAFSA and have not received an email notification from PHEAA you should login to your GrantUs account to determine what action you may need to take. Use the ‘Forgot Password?’ option if you have not yet activated your account.

• First-time 2024-25 college students, after activating their GrantUs account, are prompted to complete their PA State Grant Form and their High School Form.
• Learn more about the PA State Grant application process from PHEAA’s GrantUs Student and Family Resources site.
• FAQs about GrantUs from PHEAA.  

All PA State Grant applicants should regularly monitor their email address on the 2024-25 FAFSA, which PHEAA will use for communication.

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. 

PHEAA has not yet implemented the next steps for first-time applicants who have submitted their 2025-26 FAFSA. PHEAA will announce on its website when this implementation will start.

First-time applicants will need to complete the PA State Grant Form and High School Form once the implementation begins.  

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 late May or June, 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. Students taking more than 50% of their credits online per semester will be considered for PA State Grants, provided they satisfy all eligibility criteria. 

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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.

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