Grow PA Grant Program

Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program | PHEAA

Communities across the Commonwealth have experienced the growing crisis of a declining workforce within certain in-demand occupations. The Pennsylvania General Assembly established the Grow PA Grant Program in 2024 to help build the workforce in PA.

The grant remains a scholarship (grant) for students who complete their degrees in an eligible program of study, secure a job included on the approved list of in-demand jobs within a year after graduation, and complete 1 year of qualifying employment in Pennsylvania as a Pennsylvania resident for every academic year (or the equivalent) the grant was received. The grant will convert to a LOAN that will have to be repaid if a student does not complete these requirements.

To be considered for the Grow PA Grant Program, you must:

• File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®)
• Be a current resident of Pennsylvania
• Meet satisfactory academic progress for Title IV financial aid
• Have not earned a bachelor's degree
• Be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible associate or bachelor's degree program at an approved Pennsylvania institution
  • This degree must lead to a job in an in-demand occupation as determined by PHEAA
• Sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) agreeing to repay all funds received if the work requirement is not met, including any potential interest accrued

After graduation, you must commit to live and work in Pennsylvania, within an in-demand occupation, for a number of years equal to the number of years in which you received the grant. That means your total years of Grow PA Grant funding must equal your total years of qualifying employment in the state—up to 4 years.

REMINDER: If the degree or work requirement is not satisfied, the grant will convert to a loan and you will be required to repay the Grow PA Grant.

The Grow PA Grant Program provides grants (maximum award is $5,000 per year) to students who meet the qualifying criteria. A student can receive a Grow PA Grant for a maximum of 4 academic years.

At Messiah, most full-time enrolled undergraduates are eligible for $2,500* per semester. Students who are enrolled less-than-full-time but at least half-time, are typically eligible for $1,250* per semester.

*Eligibility for these amounts is confirmed after a student's enrollment is certified by the Financial Aid Office. 

The following majors are eligible to receive Grow PA Grants, per PHEAA's Classifications of Instructional Program (CIP) Codes. 

In order for the Financial Aid Office to certify a student as eligible for a Grow PA Grant, you must be actively enrolled in one of the following programs of study. 

The following majors at Messiah University do not qualify as eligible to receive a Grow PA Grant, per PHEAA's Classifications of Instructional Program (CIP) Codes.