HARRISBURG – College students and individuals seeking career training programs in high-demand industries can apply now for the Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) said today.
The new program offers grants of up to $5,000 per year for in-state students who pursue a degree or certification in an in-demand occupation. To qualify for the grant, applicants must agree to live and work in Pennsylvania in that occupation after graduation.
Grant recipients will be required to live and work in Pennsylvania for 12 months for each year they receive the grant. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the grant converting to a loan that must be repaid.
“There are good-paying, in-demand jobs going unfilled in the commonwealth and young citizens looking for a reason to study, work and live here,” Pennycuick said. “This is a great opportunity to meet these two needs in a way that helps halt Pennsylvania’s demographic decline and all the problems that brings.”
Courses of study that qualify for the grant include agriculture, computer science, business, education, special education, STEM education, engineering, nursing, allied health, criminal justice and other programs as approved by PHEAA.
The grants were made possible through Grow PA legislation approved by the Senate last year. The package included a measure sponsored by Pennycuick to expand the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program nationwide for children to attend Pennsylvania System of State of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools. Under current law, children in the foster care system and children who were adopted in Pennsylvania qualify for financial aid and tuition waivers.
The measure was not passed by the House of Representatives but will be reintroduced by Pennycuick this year.
Applications for the 2025-26 program are available now at pheaa.org. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
While the Grow PA Grant Program benefits Pennsylvania students, there is also a new program for out-of-state students. The Grow PA Tuition Waiver Program allows eligible non-resident PASSHE students pursuing in-demand occupations to pay tuition at an in-state rate rather than an out-of-state rate. Graduates must meet the same requirements to live and work in Pennsylvania after graduation to qualify for the in-state tuition rates.
For more details on the Grow PA Tuition Waiver Program, visit here.
“Pennsylvania needs young citizens to build a future here, and this assistance will help them put down roots and follow their dreams in the commonwealth,” Pennycuick said.
CONTACT: Lidia Di Fiore (215) 541-2388