State Grants

The PA State Grant Program considers full-time status as at least 12 credits in a semester and half-time status as at least 6 credits in a semester. Only credits that count as part of the student’s current program of study count towards the enrollment status used to determine eligibility. Enrollment status can also be impacted by individual courses. Please read the information on "Remedial Exception" and "Online and Hybrid Courses" (below).

PHEAA 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.

If a student is taking remedial (developmental) or ESL (English as a Second Language) courses, the student must also take at least 3 regular degree credits in a semester to be considered for a PA State Grant. A student is only eligible to receive this type of combined credit payment (remedial exception) for 2 full-time or 4 part-time semesters. After a student has received the maximum number of remedial exceptions, only regular degree credits can be used when determining enrollment status for additional State grants.

To be considered for a PA State Grant a student must meet the PA State Grant program academic progress requirement. This requirement applies to students who received a State grant in a prior academic year. If a student received a State grant at a different college, an academic transcript from that college is required to confirm that academic progress was met. For the most recent year a State grant was received, a student must successfully complete at least 12 credits for each full-time grant and/or 6 credits for each part-time grant. For example, if a student received two full-time State grants in the prior year (Fall and Spring semesters), The PA State Grant Program requires the student to have successfully completed at least 24 credits in order to be eligible for a State grant in the current year.

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)

The Summer PA State Grant program allows eligible students taking summer courses to receive a PA State Grant for the summer term. The Summer PA State Grant requires a separate application. The Summer PA State Grant online application  is available between mid-March and August 15th for the current year’s summer term. 

The 2026 Summer PA State Grant application is now open. To access the summer application, students will select "Create Summer Application" from their GrantUs homepage. You must have a 2025-2026 FAFSA on file. The deadline to complete this application is September 1, 2026. 

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 is at least 5 weeks in length (does not need to be consecutive) to be eligible. 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.

View information on how to apply and eligibility requirements here. 

The GROW PA Scholarship Program helps students pay for school by providing a $5,000 scholarship in effort to build the workforce in Pennsylvania for in-demand occupations. Eligibility is based on a number of factors and after a student graduates, they must commit to work in Pennsylvania within the in-demand occupation for a number of years equal to the number of years in which they received the scholarship. Applications are now available.

Montco's approved programs for the GROW PA Scholarship are:

• Business Administration (A.S.)
• Cloud Computing (A.A.S.)
• Computer Networking and Cyber Security (A.A.S.)
• Computer Science (A.S.)
• Criminal Justice (A.S.)
• Education in the Early Years: Birth Through 4th Grade
• Engineering Science (A.S.): Mechanical Concentration
• Environmental Studies (A.S.)
• Fine Arts (A.F.A.)
• Health Care Administration (A.S.)
• Health Care Administration: Medical Assisting Conc. (A.S.)
• Health Care Administration: Medical Coding Conc. (A.S.)
• Health Care Administration: Med. Office Asst. Conc. (A.S.)
• Human Services (A.A.S.)
• Human Services: Addictions Concentration (A.A.S.)
• Human Services: Child Youth Family Concentration (A.A.S.)
• Human Services: Gerontology Concentration (A.A.S.)
• Information Technology (A.S.)
• Interactive Media: Game Design (A.A.S.)
• Life Sciences (A.S.)
• Life Sciences: Biomedical Concentration (A.S.)
• Management (A.A.S.)
• Management: Marketing Concentration (A.A.S.)
• Management: Office Management Concentration (A.A.S.)
• Management: Organizational Leadership Concentration (AAS)
• Management: Sport Management Concentration (A.A.S.)
• Mathematics (A.A.)
• Medical Laboratory Technician (A.A.S.)
• Middle Years Education: 4th Through 8th Grade (A.A.)
• Nursing (A.A.S.)
• Physical Sciences (A.S.)
• Physical Therapist Assistant (A.A.S.)
• Public Health (A.S.)
• Secondary Education (A.A.)
• Web Development and Design (A.A.S.)

Learn more and apply here.

The RTSS Program, in combination with the PA State Grant Program, provides scholarships to high academic achievers to cover the cost of attendance.

Student Eligibility: 

With the exception of financial need, the student must meet all other PA State Grant eligibility requirements to qualify for RTSS. This includes the submission of a FAFSA and PA State Grant application items. The student must also:

• Have completed at least 1 academic year—defined as having earned at least 24 semester credits or the equivalent by the time that the student's school checks academic progress for the PA State Grant Program. This may be at the end of the spring or summer term of the previous academic year.
• Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement by attaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 at the time that the student's school checks academic progress for the PA State Grant Program. This may be at the end of the spring or summer term of the previous academic year. The minimum cumulative GPA used to measure outstanding academic achievement could change for future academic years.
• Have a family income that does not exceed $200,000 (this threshold is subject to change each year).

Learn more here

Together with the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, PHEAA administers this tuition assistance program for students who enter a service commitment with the PA National Guard for a period of 6 years. To be considered for EAP, you must:

• Be a member of the PA National Guard
• Be enrolled in a degree or certificate program required for entrance into a specific career at an approved Pennsylvania institution of higher education determined by PHEAA

Learn more and apply here

Together with the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, PHEAA administers this tuition assistance program for dependents (spouses and children) of PA Guard Members who enter into an additional 6-year service commitment with the PA National Guard.

To be considered for the MFEP, you must be:

• A PA Guard Member: Someone who:
  • Completed an initial service obligation, on or after July 1, 2019, in the PA National Guard and is eligible to reenlist in the PA National Guard for a period of 6 years.
• A Family Member: Someone who is:
  • A spouse or child of a PA Guard member who meets the above criteria and has had the benefit assigned to you.
  • Enrolled in a degree or certificate-granting program of study at an approved Pennsylvania institution. See the How Does It Work? section at the link below for more information.

Learn more and apply here

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.

Learn more and apply.

This state-funded program provides financial assistance to blind or deaf students attending Montgomery County Community College.

View eligibility requirements and access the application.

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:
Megan L. Wood
Associate Director of Financial Aid - Programs & Compliance
[email protected]

This federally funded program offers grants to Pennsylvania students aging out of foster care.

View eligibility requirements and access the application.

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.

View eligibility requirements and access the application.

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.

View eligibility requirements and access the application.