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 has delayed the release of 2024-25 PA State Grant eligibility information. Recent communication from PHEAA states that the release of PA State Grant award and eligibility information to students and colleges will begin in September, at which time the Financial Aid team will do further reviews (as required by PHEAA) and, for eligible students, begin applying PA State Grants awards to students’ eBills. 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. 

All Pennsylvania residents who completed a 2024-25 FAFSA and are potential PA State Grant recipients need to activate their GrantUs account, if not already activated. 

Over a period of several weeks, PHEAA has been notifying students that their account is ready to activate via a “NoReply@grantus.pheaa.org” email that includes an activation link. 

• Depending on your email account, the message may go to a ‘junk’ or ‘spam’ folder. 
• PHEAA expects to complete the email notification process for all students during the first half of July. 
• Students that received an email and did not access it before the activation link expired should select the ‘Forgot Password?’ option from grantus.pheaa.org
• First-time college students, after activating their GrantUs account, will be 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 and their FAFSA contributors (parent or spouse) should closely monitor their email address on the 2024-25 FAFSA, which PHEAA will use for GrantUs communication or a need for additional information. Many Penn College students receive PA State Grants. The expected maximum annual amounts could change after passage of the (PA) Commonwealth Budget.

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. You will also need to create a GrantUs account. First-time applicants will also need to complete the PA State Grant Form and High School Form after creating their GrantUs account.

Students will also need to create a GrantUs account. First-time applicants will also need to complete the PA State Grant Form and High School Form after creating their GrantUs account.  Returning students may receive emails from PHEAA, requesting information; these should be addressed quickly and thoroughly.

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. Here’s how:

• Sign in to Account Access from AES.
• Click 'View the Status on my PA State Grant' from the menu on the left side of the screen.
• Select the correct academic year (if more than one year is listed) and click 'View Details'.
• Select 'Update School Information.'
• Make needed changes to your college of attendance (and housing status) on the 'Change of School Information Form;' click 'Submit' to complete your update.
  Note: There is no winter term at Penn College.

Beginning in March, you can complete your Pennsylvania Summer State Grant Application at PHEAA's Account Access website. 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 eBill for summer classes.

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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