PA State Grant Program
Pennsylvania offers need-based grant funding to qualified state residents through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). As a student, you begin the PA State Grant application process when you submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you wish to apply for funds for a Summer PA State Grant, you must complete a separate application.
Ensuring MCCC Receives PA State Grant Information
Montgomery County Community College must be listed as your school choice on the State Grant application in order for you to receive the PA State Grant at Montco.
You can review and/or update your school choice with PA State Grant Program.
- Log in with your AES or PA State Grant account credentials or create a new account.
- Once logged in, select the current academic year under Grant Status > Change School Information Form. Update the school choice and submit. Note: this change only adjusts the PA State Grant record, not the FAFSA.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
The basic eligibility requirements reviewed by the PA State Grant Program when it receives an application are:
- Meets the application deadline by filing the FAFSA by May 1 prior to the academic year you plan to attend. (First-time applicants attending MCCC have a one-time extended deadline of August 1; future year applications MUST be filed before May 1.)
- Meets criteria for financial need
- Enrolled on at least a half-time (at least 6 credits in courses spanning 15 weeks or more for fall and spring award periods) basis in an associate's degree program and does not already have a bachelor's degree
- U.S. high school graduate or the recipient of a G.E.D.
- Pennsylvania resident (domiciliary)
Additional School Certification Eligibility Requirements
The PA State Grant award notices sent to students from the PA State Grant Program should be considered estimates. Even after you receive a State grant award notice, PA State Grant Program requires a college to conduct additional eligibility checks. PA State Program will send MCCC an official list of all students awarded State grants at the beginning of each semester (including summer). Your PA State grant will appear on the financial aid award notice as "estimated" until eligibility is confirmed. The following are some of the eligibility checks that will be made by MCCC financial aid staff prior to any State grant funds being disbursed to a student’s account.
Enrollment Status
Definition of Semester Length (fall & spring semesters)
PA State Grant Program defines a semester length at a minimum of 15 weeks long (consecutive); therefore, the following types of enrollment DO NOT qualify for a PA State Grant:
- Enrollment in only one 7 week term
- Enrollment in any non-credit programs
- Enrollment in only a certificate program
- Enrollment in Culinary Arts program courses that do not span the entire traditional semester length
Students enrolled in a combination of 15-week and 7-week term enrollment meet PHEAA’s semester length; however, if enrolled in the 7-week II term that begins mid-way through the semester, the College is required to delay the disbursement of the PA State grant until the first day of the later course.
Remedial and/or ESL Course Enrollment
Academic Progress
Change in Enrollment Status
A change in enrollment status can affect a student's eligibility for a PA State grant. The following are some examples of enrollment changes that may result in an adjustment to a student's State grant during a semester.
The College will perform periodic reviews of student's enrollment to ensure they have not withdrawn or stopped attending courses during and after the semester concludes. When the Financial Aid Office is notified that a student has withdrawn from courses or stopped attending, the student’s PA State Grant eligibility will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly.
Reduced Charges: If your cost of tuition and fees is reduced/cancelled due to withdrawal, tuition forgiveness, or non-attendance, the amount of PA State Grant you have been awarded may be adjusted. In these cases, you may owe the College for the amount that is returned to PHEAA.
- Drop from full-time to half-time
- Drop from half-time to less-than-half-time
- Official Withdrawal
- Switching from a regular degree course to one that is remedial or ESL
- Unofficial Withdrawal (stop attending classes)
Summer State Grant Eligibility
The Summer PA State Grant requires a separate application to be submitted between mid-March and the August 15 deadline for the current year’s summer term.
In addition to all other eligibility criteria noted above, you must be registered in at least 6 credits during the summer in a period of enrollment that’s at least 5 weeks in length (does not need to be consecutive) to be considered. The PA State Grant Program also requires MCCC to withhold applying a Summer State Grant to a student's account until after the first day of the summer II term.
Other Educational Aid
PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses (SLRN) Program
The SLRN Program will benefit nurses who have worked and continue to work tirelessly to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals eligible to participate in the SLRN Program are residents of the Commonwealth and licensed by the PA Department of State to work as an eligible nurse at a qualified nursing facility within the Commonwealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Qualified SLRN applicants could be selected to receive student loan relief of up to $2,500 for each year of work (beginning with 2020) for no more than 3 years, with a maximum benefit of $7,500.
Blind or Deaf Beneficiary Grant Program
This state-funded program provides financial assistance to blind or deaf students attending Montgomery County Community College.
Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program
Beginning with the fall 2020 semester, the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program provides a waiver for tuition and mandatory fees for students who are or were in foster care. This waiver applies only to charges that remain after all other gift aid (federal, state, and other scholarships or grants) have been applied to the student’s account.
View eligibility requirements and access the application.
Direct questions to:
James Symanek
Coordinator of Scholarships, Outreach, and Special Programs, Financial Aid
610-718-1846
jsymanek@wxzjnt.com
Pennsylvania Chafee Education and Training Grant Program
This federally funded program offers grants to Pennsylvania students aging out of foster care.
The Pennsylvania Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP)
The Pennsylvania Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP) provides grant funding to eligible students enrolled in the following certificate programs at Montgomery County Community College:
- Medical Assisting
- Medical Office Assistant
- Medical Coding
Note: Students who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree are eligible to apply for a PA-TIP award.
Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program (PEGP)
PEGP honors individuals who lost their lives protecting the citizens of Pennsylvania by helping their children fund their education by providing a waiver for tuition and fees. This waiver applies only to charges that remain after all other grants (federal, state, and outside scholarships) have been applied to the student’s account.