Grow PA Grant requirements come down to three things: a Pennsylvania address, an eligible major, and a promise to work in Pennsylvania afterward. The grant pays up to $5,000 a year for up to four years to Pennsylvania residents in one of 460+ majors leading to in-demand occupations. After graduating, you must live and work in Pennsylvania in an in-demand job for as many years as you received the grant, or repay it. Applications for 2026-27 close Jan. 7, 2027, and awards go first come, first served.
The rules below are from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency's (PHEAA) Grow PA program pages.
Grow PA at a glance
| Grow PA Scholarship Grant | |
|---|---|
| Award | Up to $5,000 a year |
| Length | Up to 4 academic years |
| 2026-27 deadline | Jan. 7, 2027 |
| Awarded | First come, first served, by date of complete application |
| Who | Pennsylvania residents, at least half time, in an eligible associate or bachelor's program |
| Commitment | Live and work in PA in an in-demand occupation, one year per year of funding |
Source: PHEAA, Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program.
Who qualifies
You must:
- File the FAFSA.
- Be a current Pennsylvania resident.
- Not have a bachelor's degree.
- Make satisfactory academic progress.
- Enroll at least half time in an eligible associate or bachelor's degree program at an approved Pennsylvania school, in a major that leads to an in-demand occupation as determined by PHEAA.
- Sign a Master Promissory Note agreeing to repay everything, with possible interest, if you don't meet the work requirement.
Eligible majors span agriculture, business, education, computer science, STEM, nursing, allied health and criminal justice. PHEAA identifies them by federal Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes and publishes the list on its Grow PA page.
The work commitment
Your years of Grow PA funding must equal your years of qualifying employment in Pennsylvania, up to four. Get the grant for four years, and you owe four years in an in-demand occupation in the state. If you don't finish the degree or meet the work requirement, the grant converts to repayment. PHEAA offers deferment and employment-verification forms for recipients.
How to apply
- Download the 2026-27 Grow PA Grant Application from PHEAA.
- Sign in to PHEAA Account Access, choose File Upload, then PA Special Programs, then Grow PA Scholarship Grant Application.
- Submit before Jan. 7, 2027, and early: funding is first come, first served.
For out-of-state students: the Grow PA Tuition Waiver
A separate Grow PA Tuition Waiver lets out-of-state students pay in-state tuition at a PASSHE university in an eligible major, with the same work-in-Pennsylvania commitment. It requires a 2.5 high school GPA and full-time, in-person enrollment; other fees are still charged at the out-of-state rate.
What this means for you
- Check whether your intended major is on PHEAA's CIP list before counting on Grow PA.
- Apply early; money goes in the order complete applications arrive.
- Only take it if you expect to stay in Pennsylvania. Otherwise it becomes a loan.
- The FAFSA you file for Grow PA is also the application for the need-based PA State Grant, due May 1.