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Federal and State Grants

If you're like most students, you prefer to pay your way through college by receiving grants instead of loans. That's because most grants do not need to be paid back unless you fail to meet an obligation on your end.

Get the answers here to questions about federal and state grants. Learn about your eligibility and how to apply for them.

You must complete the FAFSA for a determination of your Pell Grant eligibility. A Pell Grant does not have to be repaid.

Year Round Pell- Eligible undergraduate students may receive up to 150% Pell per academic year not to exceed 600% Lifetime Pell Limit.  Must be enrolled in 6 hours for summer to qualify for additional Pell.

You must have a high financial need (be Pell eligible) to be eligible for the limited amount of funds from the FSEOG program. This is determined by information you provide in your FAFSA form.

If you are a junior, senior, or graduate student with a GPA of 3.25 or higher and you intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school in a high-need field that serves students from low-income families, apply to the TEACH Grant Program.

As a grant recipient, you must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing your degree. Failure to complete this obligation results in all amounts of TEACH Grants received being converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education, and interest will be charged from the date the grant was disbursed.

For more information regarding the Federal TEACH Grant, visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/teach

If you are an undergraduate student, a Pennsylvania resident, and meet the need requirement, you may be eligible for a PA State Grant from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

 Apply for the PA State Grant by completing your FAFSA form by May 1st for the upcoming academic year and complete the Pennsylvania State Grant Form. Complete the Pennsylvania State Grant Form online directly from your FAFSA confirmation page. Look for the link that reads “Start your state application to apply for Pennsylvania state-based financial aid.” Most renewal students are not required to complete the State Grant Form.

First time state grant applicants also need to create an online account with PHEAA to access information about their PA State Grant. You may create or log in to your account at http://www.pheaa.org/tools-resources/account-access/index.shtml.

PHEAA will contact you at the email address you provided on your FAFSA form if additional information is needed to process your state grant application. If you are a dependent student, your parent or guardian will also receive an email at the parent's email address provided on the FAFSA.

Beginning in mid-May you will receive your conditional eligibility notice by email. If you do not receive this notice by the end of May, you should log in to your online account with PHEAA and review your status.

The PA State Grant requires students to be enrolled at least half time (6 - 11 credits for a part-time award or 12+ credits to receive a full-time award) in courses that meet for a minimum of 15 weeks of instruction during the Fall and Spring semesters.  

For additional information on the Pennsylvania State Grant program, go to https://www.pheaa.org/grants/state-grant-program/.

This Pennsylvania state-funded program provides financial aid to blind or deaf students attending a postsecondary institution.

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/other-educational-aid/blind-deaf.shtml

This federally funded program administered by PHEAA offers grants to Pennsylvania students aging out of foster care.

Student Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a PA resident.
  • Be eligible for services under Pennsylvania’s John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood.
  • Be identified as a youth in foster care or a youth discharged or adopted from foster care at age 16.
  • Have not reached the age of 26 by July 1 of the upcoming academic year for which Chafee ETG is received.

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/other-educational-aid/chafee-program.shtml

This award is a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees to PA resident students who have been in foster care.

Student Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a current PA resident.
  • Must be eligible for PA Chafee Education and Training Grant.
  • Must be a youth who was in foster care or discharged from foster care on or after age 16 OR has exited foster care on or after age 16 to adoption or permanent legal guardianship.
  • Student must be under age 26 by July 1 of the upcoming academic year for which the waiver is received.

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/other-educational-aid/foster-education.shtml

Please contact Kara Connors at klconnors@ship.edu for assistance.

Together with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, PHEAA administers this tuition assistance program for students who enter into a service commitment with the Pennsylvania National Guard for a period of 6 years.

Click on the following link for additional information:

http://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/aid-for-military-national-guard/national-guard-eap.shtml

Together with the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, PHEAA administers this tuition assistance program for dependents (spouses and children) of PA Guard Members who enter into an additional 6-year service commitment with the PA National Guard.

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/aid-for-military-national-guard/military-family-education.shtml

PA Partnerships for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Program

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/other-educational-aid/path.shtml

PEGP honors individuals who lost their lives protecting the citizens of Pennsylvania by helping their children fund their education.

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/other-educational-aid/postsecondary-educational-gratuity.shtml

If you are a high-achieving student who comes from a family with an annual income less than $110,000, you may be eligible for this program. RTSS, in combination with the PA State Grant Program, awards up to $2,000 for full-time and $1,000 for part-time students.

Funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis in order of your FAFSA filing date. Other eligibility requirements to qualify for RTSS include:

  • Submission of a FAFSA and a Pennsylvania State Grant Form
  • Completion of at least one academic year, defined as having earned at least 24 semester credits when your school checks academic progress for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program
  • Attaining at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA when your school checks academic progress for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program  

Click on the following link for additional information:

https://www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/rtss/

Federal and State Grants