Federal Pell Grants - A Pell Grant is a need-based award that does not have to be repaid. The grant is determined by the Department of Education based on your financial need, calculated from the information you submitted on the FAFSA and your enrollment status.
PHEAA State Grant - This grant is awarded by the Pennsylvania Higher Assistance Agency (PHEAA). To be eligible for this award, you must be a Pennsylvania resident pursuing your first undergraduate degree. The PHEAA Grant is based on your financial need as determined by PHEAA from the information submitted on the FAFSA. You must apply before May 1, 2017.
Additional PHEAA Scholarships and Grant Information
For a complete listing of PHEAA‘s additional scholarships and grants, please refer to PHEAA‘s website at www.pheaa.org. The programs offered by PHEAA are available only to Pennsylvania state residents.
Non-Pennsylvania State Grants
If you are from a state other than Pennsylvania, please check with the Office of Higher Education in your state to find out if your state offers a state grant. Your high school guidance counselor will be a good source of information regarding filling deadline dates and required application dates. Delaware, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Ohio and West Virginia are among the states that allow you to use their grants in Pennsylvania. New York and New Jersey do not allow their grants to be used out-of-state.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants - The Federal SEOG grant is awarded to you based on exceptional financial need (i.e. students with the lowest expected family contribution EFCs) and availability of funds. If you are Pell Grant eligible, you will be considered first for the FSEOG grant.
Federal Perkins Loans - The Federal Perkins Loan is a 5% fixed rate loan for students with exceptional financial need. If you receive and accept the Perkins Loan, the Financial Aid Office will send you a Perkins Loan Promissory Note, a Truth-in-Lending Statement, and a Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. These forms will be mailed to you when it is time to complete the loan application. The Perkins Loan will be credited to your tuition account after you submit the signed loan note and required forms to the Financial Aid Office. The Perkins Loan constitutes legal debt that must be repaid.
Federal PLUS Loans (Parent loan for undergraduate students) - If you are a dependent student, the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan allows your parents to borrow money for your education. The PLUS Loan has a fixed rate of 6.31%. A 4.276% fee is deducted from the loan from each disbursement. The maximum amount your parents can borrow is the cost of education minus any other financial aid received. Eligibility for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan is determined by a credit check.
New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students - The NJCLASS program enables parents, spouses, legal guardians or other relatives to borrow on your behalf. You can apply with or without a cosigner as long as your income and credit requirements for the loan are met. There is a fixed, simple interest rate for the life of the loan. NJCLASS offers various repayment options for principal and interest. You must be a New Jersey resident to be eligible for this loan.
National SMART grant (Students majoring in science or mathematics) - The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant, also known as the National Smart Grant is available during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study (or fifth year of a five-year program) to at least half-time students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language; or non-major single liberal arts programs.
