Pennsylvania State Grant Program FAQ

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What is a grant?

A grant is a financial aid award that you do not have to repay provided you meet the eligibility requirements.

How does the Pennsylvania State Grant Program work?

The Pennsylvania State Grant Program provides State Grants to eligible Pennsylvania residents in need of financial assistance to help them afford the costs of higher education.

PHEAA administers the Pennsylvania State Grant Program at no cost to taxpayers, ensuring that every dollar appropriated to the program goes directly to students.

Funding for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program may be paid in part or in whole by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Federal Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program.

How do you determine my Pennsylvania State Grant award?

PHEAA's Board of Directors annually reviews and approves the formula for determining need. We calculate State Grant eligibility in accordance with the federal need analysis formula, Pennsylvania State Grant policies, and the Board-approved formula.

Does it matter if another member of my family is also enrolled in college?

Yes. If you and another member of your family (excluding your parents if you are a dependent applicant) are enrolled in postsecondary institutions during the same academic year, PHEAA will consider this fact when determining your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Am I eligible for a State Grant?

A Pennsylvania State Grant is based on financial need; however, you must also meet all other requirements to qualify for a State Grant award.

See the State Grant Eligibility Requirements

Am I eligible for a State Grant if I am disabled and must take all of my classes through distance education?

If you have a medical disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and you are enrolled in a program of study that is structured to allow you to complete at least 50% of your credits or clock hours in the classroom, you may request an accommodation (exception) to the 50% in-classroom requirement of the State Grant Program. However, you must meet all other eligibility requirements, and you must provide ADA-supporting materials from your medical healthcare provider and the ADA Accommodation Request Form (PDF).

If your program is structured in a way that does not allow for at least 50% classroom instruction, no exceptions can be made.

Why do you need to know my family's adjusted gross income to determine the amount of my State Grant? My family does not live on this income.

PHEAA uses your family's adjusted gross income (not your family's net federal taxable income) from the previous year to determine your eligibility for a State Grant.

By using your family's adjusted gross income, we ensure we process all applicants in a uniform manner. If we were to use your family's net federal taxable income, then families who claim significantly more deductions on their taxes (for mortgage interest, real estate taxes, charitable contributions, or other similar deductions) would have an advantage over families who do not qualify for such deductions.

Be aware that your adjusted gross income is only one component that we use to calculate the amount of your State Grant award.

Does PHEAA use retirement contributions as untaxed income when determining State Grant eligibility?

Yes. You must report all current sources of untaxed income, including tax-deferred contributions to retirement plans or deferred annuity contributions, whether they are voluntary or involuntary.

If only contributions to voluntary plans—SEP (Simplified Employee Pension), SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers), Keogh, IRAs (individual retirement accounts), etc.—were to be considered when determining State Grant eligibility, families who must establish their own retirement plans would have a disadvantage compared to those who have retirement plans through an employer.

Using your family's total taxed and untaxed income ensures we process requests for State Grant assistance on a uniform basis. Your eligibility for a State Grant is also determined with consideration to:

  • Available funding
  • The expected contribution from family income and assets
  • Aid from the Federal Pell program
  • Your allowable educational costs

We do not consider any prior contributions to approved retirement plans, only those that were made in the applicable tax year.

Does the value of my Pennsylvania Treasury 529 College Savings Plan affect my State Grant?

No. If you included this information on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or submitted it to PHEAA in error, you must update the information on your State Grant Form or write to us to correct the asset information for proper State Grant processing purposes. This exclusion applies only to the plan administered by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department. All other 529 College Savings Plans must be reported as assets on the FAFSA if you were required to report assets.

When writing to us, please provide:

  • Your name and signature. If you are a dependent, include a supporting parent's signature.
  • Your Social Security number (last 4 digits only) or account number.
  • Specific corrections to the asset data
  • Appropriate tax data
  • Verification of your Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Plan
  • An explanation for the change
Do I have to be a Pennsylvania resident to get a Pennsylvania State Grant?

Yes, you must be a Pennsylvania resident, or as they say in the legal world "a bona fide Pennsylvania domiciliary."

  • If you are 18 years of age or older—You must be a Pennsylvania resident for at least the 12 consecutive months before you file the FAFSA (excluding any time you are enrolled in a Pennsylvania postsecondary school, if you came into or remained in Pennsylvania for the purpose of attending a school or college).
  • If you are under 18 years of age—You must have a supporting parent or guardian who has been a Pennsylvania resident for at least the 12 consecutive months before you filed the FAFSA.
What is "domicile," and what does it have to do with my State Grant?

"Domicile" is another word for your true, fixed, and permanent home—the place to which you intend to return despite temporary residences elsewhere or a temporary absence. You must have Pennsylvania domicile in order to get a State Grant:

  • Students born and raised in Pennsylvania who attend college in another state do not relinquish their Pennsylvania domiciliary status simply because they are temporarily in another state. However, a student is no longer eligible for a State Grant if he or she attends college out of state and registers to vote in that state.
  • Students who enter Pennsylvania to attend college are not considered Pennsylvania domiciliaries.
  • Pennsylvania military personnel are presumed to maintain their Pennsylvania domicile even though they are stationed out of state or overseas, unless the family has taken steps to become residents of that state or country.
Must I be a high school graduate to qualify for a State Grant?

Yes. You must be a graduate of an approved high school, an approved overseas Department of Defense high school, or a foreign high school that has obtained U.S. accreditation, or you must have a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma (GED) or a diploma issued by another state through the GED Testing Program.

There are additional requirements if you received your diploma in one of the following ways:

  • Home schooling—If you were home schooled and want to apply for a Pennsylvania State Grant, you must have a high school diploma issued by one of the organizations that the Pennsylvania Department of Education recognizes for this purpose:

    1. Bridgeway Academy
    2. Buxmont Christian Educational Institute
    3. Classical Foundation of Lancaster
    4. Erie County Homeschoolers Diploma Association
    5. Mason-Dixon Homeschoolers Association, Inc.
    6. Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency
    7. Susquehanna Valley Homeschool Diploma Programs, Inc.
    8. Upattinas School and Resource Center
    9. Valley Forge Baptist Home Education Association

    If you did not receive a high school diploma from one of these organizations, you may submit certification from the superintendent of your local school district using the Home Education Certification Form (PDF). This certification must verify that your home education complies with the Home Education Law (24 P.S.13-1327.1).

  • A distance-learning or correspondence high school—If you have a diploma from a distance-learning or correspondence high school, you must obtain a Pennsylvania GED certificate and diploma, unless your diploma was issued by one of the approved operating Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools.

  • A foreign high school—If you graduated from a foreign high school that does not have U.S. accreditation, you may be eligible for the State Grant Program if you:

Where should I send my foreign high school transcript evaluation or GED?

Once you have obtained either your foreign high school transcript evaluation or GED, please mail copies of the documentation to:

PHEAA
P.O. Box 8157
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8157

Where can I find more information about the Pennsylvania GED?

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Apply/Renew

What is the deadline for State Grant applications?

The State Grant deadlines are different for first-time applicants, renewal applicants, and summer- term applicants.

See the State Grant Deadlines

I missed the State Grant filing deadline for the academic year. What should I do?

Submit your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible.

We may still consider applications received after the deadline for applicants who have a loss in expected family income due to a recent (after January 1) death, disability, retirement, unemployment, divorce, or separation of a parent.

We may consider applications received after the deadline for applicants who are recently discharged veterans.

We may also consider a late application if extenuating circumstances delayed its filing. If there are no special circumstances, we will process a late State Grant application only if there are additional funds to continue processing.

Why must I complete both the FAFSA and the Pennsylvania State Grant Form?

We use the State Grant Form to collect a few more details about you and your family that aren't on the FAFSA. This basic information helps us determine your eligibility and financial need for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program.

Why must I go to aesSuccess.org to complete the online Pennsylvania State Grant Form?

American Education Services (aesSuccess.org) is a division of PHEAA. It's where we maintain Account Access, our online account management tool. You must create an account and sign in to complete the Pennsylvania State Grant Form online.

You may also view the status of your State Grant Form in Account Access.

Create an Account or Sign In

Important: When you create an account in Account Access, please use your name, Social Security number, and email address (not your mom's or dad's). For security purposes, Account Access matches your Social Security number with your FAFSA data to verify your identity. If you create an account using a parent's Social Security number, it won't match your FAFSA data, and you won't be able to access the Pennsylvania State Grant Form online.

How do I complete the FAFSA if my parents do not financially support me?

Dependency status is among the more common errors made on the FAFSA. Before you complete the FAFSA, first make sure you meet the requirements for financial independence. PHEAA uses this criteria to determine independence, although you may be asked to provide documentation to verify your current status. If you cannot meet any of these requirements, PHEAA uses additional criteria to determine your financially independent status.

If PHEAA considers you financially independent, we will process your FAFSA without your parents' financial data. However, if you receive direct support from your parents (money received or bills paid on your behalf), you need to report that support on the FAFSA application where it asks for:

"Money received, or paid on your behalf (e.g., bills), not reported elsewhere on this form."

Must I include my stepparent's information on the application?

Yes, even if your stepparent does not financially contribute to your education. If the birth or adoptive parent whose information is included on the FAFSA has remarried, you must report both that parent's and stepparent's income and assets.

Do I have to report the value of my family's home when I apply for a Pennsylvania State Grant?

No. But you must report the net worth (market value less remaining debt) of any second home or any other real estate investments.

Must I report all of my family's assets?

We do not consider any of the following assets when determining eligibility:

  • Qualified retirement account assets
  • The equity of your home (primary residence)
  • Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Plans

For the assets we do consider (such as an investment property), we allow you to subtract any remaining debt for which those assets are the collateral before we determine any expected contribution. For example, if you own an investment property with a market value of $50,000 and you have a mortgage of $30,000 on the property, PHEAA will use net assets of $20,000. Debt against your family's home cannot be used when determining the net worth of your family's other investments.

The Pennsylvania State Grant Program uses a mathematical need analysis formula that considers only certain family assets. From the remaining assets, a financial contribution toward educational expenses is expected based on family factors, such as the number of parents (or student and spouse, if married and independent) and the age of the parents (or student's age, if independent).

Does PHEAA provide any special processing for veterans for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program?

To be eligible for a Pennsylvania State Grant as a veteran applicant, you must:

  • Have engaged in active service with the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard or have been a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies
  • Have been released under a condition other than dishonorable, bad conduct, uncharacterized, or other than honorable conditions
  • If not a veteran now, be a veteran by June 30 of the academic year for which you are requesting aid

National Guard or Reserve enlistees must also have been activated for duty for other than state or training purposes.

If you meet these requirements, PHEAA will disregard your Expected Family Contribution or any Pell award you may have received. This means that you will receive the highest Pennsylvania State Grant possible, based on the allowable college costs for the school you are attending.

Note: ROTC, current cadets or midshipmen at service academies, and National Guard or Reservists who were not activated for duty other than state or training purposes are not considered veterans for the 2011–2012 academic year.

I've filled out the FAFSA, so why am I getting a message that you don't have my FAFSA data?

There are several reasons why you may get this message:

  • Your Social Security number doesn't match. If you didn't use the same Social Security number for your Account Access account and your FAFSA, we won't be able to match you to your FAFSA data.
  • You indicated that you are a graduate student. Students who already have a bachelor's degree are not eligible for a Pennsylvania State Grant. If this was a mistake, you must update your FAFSA.
  • You just submitted your FAFSA online. If you completed your FAFSA within the past 24–48 hours, we probably haven't received your data yet. Please allow several days for processing time and then try again.
Why does my confirmation state my FAFSA is incomplete?

Most likely, you left some FAFSA questions blank (incomplete). The fields on the FAFSA most commonly left blank include the date you established your state of legal residence and the value of your cash, savings, checking, or investments.

Please check your FAFSA and provide information for any blank fields or incomplete answers.

What if I haven't yet decided on a school or been accepted?

The State Grant Form requires you to provide the name of a school. If you're unsure, list your first choice. Then, when you make your final decision, you can update your college information online in Account Access.

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After You Apply/Renew

How do I make corrections to the information on my State Grant Form?
If You Have… Then…
Not yet mailed the final page of the State Grant Form

For enrollment changes, follow the instructions.

For changes not related to enrollment, make updates directly on the final page of your State Grant Form before you mail it.
Mailed the final page of your State Grant Form but have not yet received an eligibility notice (or there is no award displaying under your grant status in Account Access)

Choose one of the following options:
Received your eligibility notice or can view an award under your grant status in Account Access
  1. Update your SAR.

  2. Notify PHEAA of the changes:

    • Follow the instructions for enrollment changes.
    • Use your PHEAA eligibility notice to report changes.

    • Send corrections in writing to:

      PHEAA
      P.O. Box 8157
      Harrisburg, PA 17105-8157
I need to submit my State Grant Form signature page. How do I do this?

To print and submit your State Grant Form signature page:

  • Sign in to Account Access.
  • Select the "Complete the PA State Grant Form" link.
  • In section 3, Confirmation, select the "View/Print Your PA State Grant Form" button and print the document.
  • Carefully read the "Applicant's Rights, Responsibilities, Use of Social Security Number, and Certification for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program."
  • Once you have read this document, sign the "Statement of Certification and Authorization" and return that page to:

    PHEAA
    State Grant & Special Programs
    P.O. Box 8157
    Harrisburg, PA 17105-8157

Why am I getting a message that Account Access is currently unavailable?
  • Routine maintenance—Actual times vary, but we typically do routine maintenance on Sunday mornings before Noon (ET).
  • Unexpected technical difficulties—Unfortunately, unexpected technical difficulties could take a few minutes to a few hours to resolve. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask that you continue to try accessing your online State Grant Form.
What do I do if I decide to go to a different school than the one I listed on my State Grant Form?

If it is before August—The best way to notify us is to sign in to Account Access and provide your new school information (use the "Update School Information" link on your Pennsylvania State Grant Status).

If it is August or later—Since we begin disbursing funds to schools in August, we cannot change your enrollment until we verify that you did not receive any portion of your State Grant through the school listed on your eligibility notice:

  • Contact the school listed on your eligibility notice so that they can take action. We will not process your request until the school confirms the status of the funds we sent to them on your behalf.
  • Sign in to Account Access and provide your new school information (use the "Update School Information" link on your Pennsylvania State Grant Status).
  • The school that you plan to attend may also update enrollment information for you.

NOTE: We cannot accept updates to change your enrollment:

  • After April 1, 2012 (for the 2011–2012 academic year)
  • After October 31, 2011 (for the 2011 summer term)
My family's income is less than it was when I submitted my State Grant Form. What should I do?

We realize that sudden changes in your family's finances can significantly impact your ability to pay for school. That is why we provide special processing to students from families who have suffered a loss of income.

If Your Loss of Income Is Due to a Supporting Parent's: Then We May Process Your Application:
Death (January 1, 2011 or later) Without regard to your family income (for 1 academic year only)
Total and permanent disability (unable to return to any work) Without regard to your family income (for 1 academic year only)
Retirement or other change in employment status Using your estimated income for the year after you applied
Separation or divorce Using your estimated income for the year after you applied
Loss of untaxed income Using your estimated income for the year after you applied

Special processing may also be extended to those whose family had extraordinary, unreimbursed medical/dental expenses. Obtain reduced income forms or medical expense forms by:

How will I receive my State Grant funds?

PHEAA sends State Grant funds directly to your school two or three times during the school year, depending on how many terms (semesters, quarters) your school has. The school will then credit your account after first certifying your eligibility.

I have been notified that I am eligible for a State Grant but my school says they do not have it. What should I do?

Go to the Financial Aid Office and ask about your State Grant. (The Business Office and your academic advisor do not have access to State Grant information.)

The Financial Aid Office will contact the State Grant & Special Programs if they have questions about your eligibility.

Can I use a Pennsylvania State Grant at any school?

Many schools throughout the United States are approved for participation in the Pennsylvania State Grant Program. With certain limited exceptions, institutions in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York are not eligible.

Some states—Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington D.C., and West Virginia—permit students at approved schools to carry their state grants to Pennsylvania. Students attending approved schools in these states may be eligible for a slightly higher award than students attending approved schools in states that do not permit this.

For a complete listing of approved schools (both in Pennsylvania and out of state), view the State Grant Program Manual.

View the State Grant Program Manual (PDF)

If your school is not listed, call us toll-free at 1-800-692-7392 to find out if the school you are considering is eligible for a State Grant.

Why do award amounts change?

The awarding formula—calculated every academic year—considers three primary factors:

  1. The funding provided for distributing awards
  2. The number of applicants for State Grants
  3. The financial need of the families of those applicants

In general, most students who qualify for a State Grant will also qualify the next year. However, the amount of your award can vary each year, depending on the three factors listed.

Is it possible to qualify for 1 academic year and not the next?

Yes. You must demonstrate financial need for a State Grant every year you apply, and you must continue to meet other eligibility requirements.

Examples of circumstances that may result in your ineligibility from 1 academic year to the next include:

  • An increase in your parents' income, after adjustments
  • A decrease in the number of family members enrolled in school
  • A decrease in the number of dependents in your family
  • An increase in family assets
  • A reduction in housing or college costs
  • The occurrence of extraordinary, unreimbursed medical/dental expenses
I am enrolled in a 5-year college program. Am I eligible to get a Pennsylvania State Grant to fund my 5th year?

There are very few "bona fide" 5-year programs in the United States (programs that require more than 4 years of full-time enrollment to complete). Bona fide 5-year programs do not include double majors or any additional time that is necessary to complete your degree due to class scheduling problems, etc.

If you are unsure whether your program is classified as a bona fide 5-year program, contact your Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office must confirm your enrollment in an eligible program.

What are the estimated awards for in-state and out-of-state schools?

Grant awards are based on available funding, demonstrated financial need, and the allowable educational costs you are expected to incur at the institution you are attending.

The Pennsylvania State Grant award amounts are subject to an annual review and adjustment based on the level of funding available.

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