How much is the PA State Grant?

Up to $6,000 for 2026-27, per the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). The amount depends on your financial need and the type of Pennsylvania school you attend. At an out-of-state school in a reciprocal state, the maximum is $600 ($800 for veterans).

What is the PA State Grant deadline?

May 1 before the academic year if you're a first-time applicant enrolling in a degree program at a four-year college or a 2-year private college, or if you're renewing. August 1 if you're enrolling at a community college, a Pennsylvania open-admission institution, a business, trade or technical school, a hospital school of nursing or a non-transferable 2-year program. You apply by filing the FAFSA; first-time applicants then complete PHEAA's State Grant and High School forms.

What is the Grow PA Grant?

A PHEAA grant of up to $5,000 a year, for up to four years, for Pennsylvania residents enrolled in eligible associate or bachelor's programs leading to in-demand occupations. After graduating, you must live and work in Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation for as many years as you received the grant, or repay it. Applications for 2026-27 are accepted until Jan. 7, 2027, first come, first served.

Pennsylvania Financial Aid: The PA State Grant ($6,000 Max, May 1 Deadline), Grow PA's $5,000 Work-in-PA Grant, and New Free-Tuition Pledges

Pennsylvania financial aid starts with the PA State Grant: up to $6,000 for 2026-27, based on financial need. For students headed to a four-year college, the FAFSA deadline is May 1. The newer Grow PA Grant adds up to $5,000 a year for students in in-demand majors who agree to work in Pennsylvania after graduating. And starting in fall 2027, the 10 PASSHE state universities, Pitt's regional campuses and Temple will cover remaining tuition for qualifying lower-income students.

The details below are from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and each university's own pages.

Pennsylvania's state aid programs

	PA State Grant	Grow PA Grant
Based on	Financial need (FAFSA)	Enrollment in an eligible major + a work commitment
Maximum (2026-27)	$6,000	$5,000 a year, up to 4 years
Deadline	May 1 (four-year colleges, renewals); Aug. 1 (community colleges, trade schools)	Jan. 7, 2027 for 2026-27; first come, first served
Where	Approved schools; Pennsylvania schools for the full amount	Approved Pennsylvania schools
Catch	First-time applicants must also complete PHEAA forms	Must live and work in PA after graduating, or repay

Sources: PHEAA, PA State Grant Program and Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program pages.

See PA State Grant deadlines and amounts and Grow PA Grant requirements.

The PA State Grant in brief

You apply by filing the FAFSA. If you're a first-time applicant, PHEAA then emails you to activate a GrantUs account, where you complete the PA State Grant Form and High School Form. You must be a Pennsylvania resident, enrolled at least half time in a program of at least two years, and without a bachelor's degree. Missed May 1? Apply anyway: PHEAA says late applications may still be funded "if funding permits."

Free-tuition pledges at public universities

Several Pennsylvania public universities now cover remaining tuition for qualifying students:

PASSHE Pledge (fall 2027): At all 10 state-system universities, in-state undergraduates who receive both a Pell Grant and a PA State Grant will pay no tuition after other aid.
Pitt Regional Campus Tuition Pledge: $0 tuition for Pennsylvania residents with household income of $75,000 or less at Pitt Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown and the Titusville nursing program.
Temple Promise (fall 2027): remaining tuition and eligible fees for Philadelphia residents with family income of $65,000 or less.

See Pennsylvania free tuition programs. For context, PASSHE's base in-state tuition for 2026-27 is $8,338 a year.

Getting in

Penn State and Temple both have Nov. 1 Early Action deadlines, and Pitt considers applications completed by Dec. 1 for its academic scholarships. See Penn State, Pitt and Temple admissions for Pennsylvania residents.

What this means for you

File the 2027-28 FAFSA before May 1, 2027. It's the application for the PA State Grant and the starting point for every pledge above.
First-time applicants: finish the GrantUs forms. Filing the FAFSA alone isn't enough.
In a nursing, education, STEM or other in-demand major? Look at Grow PA, but understand the work commitment first.
Pell-eligible? The PASSHE Pledge, Pitt's regional pledge and the Temple Promise could bring tuition to $0.