A grant is gifted aid that does not have to be repaid. Grants are awarded based on financial need, enrollment status, student aid index, and cost of attendance.

 Pell Grant Program

  • The Pell Grant is federally-funded student aid that is awarded to undergraduate students who have high financial need and are working on their first bachelor's degree.
  • Awarded based on the student aid index and the number of credits the student has scheduled.
  • May be awarded to students who are less than half-time (6 credits).

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

  • SEOG is a federally-funded gift aid awarded by Penn State to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need who are working on their first bachelor's degree.
  • Recipients must be enrolled for at least half-time (6 credits).

Penn State Academic Grant (PSTAG)

  • PSTAG is a university-funded gift aid awarded to undergraduate students with high financial need who are working on their first bachelor's degree.
  • The student must be enrolled full-time (12 credits) in a degree program and must have a GPA of at least 2.0. 
  • All students are considered for this at the time of awarding. Due to limited
    funding, not all students who are eligible will receive this award. Amount is
    evaluated and determined every academic year.

Pennsylvania State Resident Grant

  • This gift aid is awarded by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) to undergraduate Pennsylvania residents who demonstrate high financial need.
  • Awarded based on financial need and enrollment status: full-time (12 or more credits) or half-time (6 credits) for a maximum of 8 semesters to students enrolled in a four-year program and a maximum of 4 semesters to students enrolled in a two-year program.
  • Note: If students choose to apply for a Summer PHEAA State Grant, it will be counted towards the maximum semesters of eligibility.
  • If PHEAA receives a student's FAFSA information by May 1, they are automatically considered for the grant.
  • PHEAA Grant regulations state that, for an approved program of study, at least 50% of the coursework for the minimum program length must be taken through classroom instruction in order to remain eligible for PHEAA Grant consideration. This does not include online or independent learning courses.

Grants for Non-Pennsylvania Residents

Non-Pennsylvania residents from certain states may receive grants from their respective states. Please review our list of state grants for out-of-state students.