Eligible participants must meet the following requirements:

• Are a high school graduate as stipulated in the PA State Grant law
• Attend a postsecondary school approved by PHEAA for PA State Grant purposes
• Are enrolled at least half-time (defined as at least 6 semester credits but less than 12 semester credits per semester, or the equivalent) in at least 5 weeks of instruction
• Be unconditionally admitted and enrolled in an approved program of study of at least 2 academic years in length
• If enrolled at an institution that is not headquartered and domiciled in PA, you must be enrolled in a program of study where at least 50% of the total credit or clock hours needed for completion of the program are earned through classroom instruction:
  • The program itself must be structured to allow you to complete at least 50% of your credits or clock hours in the classroom
  • Your enrollment pattern by term must also consist of at least 50% classroom instruction (unless you have a medical disability)
• Have made satisfactory academic progress (as defined by PHEAA)
• Not have already earned a bachelor's degree or its equivalent
• Are a PA resident, as stipulated in the PA State Grant law
• Are of satisfactory character (for example, not be incarcerated)
• Not have received the maximum number of PA State Grants permitted

NOTE: By law, students are limited to the equivalent of 4 academic year PA State Grant awards unless the student is enrolled in a bona-fide 5-year program. A summer grant is included in the maximum number of payments for which a student may be eligible.

• Not be in default on an educational loan; this also applies to any program where the award has been converted to a loan and the loan is in a default status
• File and complete the application process by the August 15 deadline

To be eligible for the PA Summer State Grant Program, you must be enrolled on at least a half-time basis (defined as at least 6 credits per semester, or the equivalent). If you are enrolled in a school or program that does not operate on a year-round curriculum, your enrollment during the summer term may be as short as 5 weeks of instruction and no less than 6 semester credits (or the equivalent). Non-consecutive modules may be combined to meet the 5-week, abbreviated term length requirement for the summer term only.

If you are enrolled at a school in which you are not degree seeking for the summer term (for example, ABC Community College), you may complete the PA Summer State Grant Application using that school. However, this does not guarantee that you will receive a PA State Grant award even if you are initially awarded since:

• The summer term credits must transfer to the school in which you are degree seeking (for example, University ABC).
• The school in which you are enrolled for the summer period must be participating in the PA State Grant Program for the summer and be willing to process awards for students who are not degree seeking at their institution.
• Both your home school and the school in which you are not degree seeking must be PA State Grant approved since only participating institutions can verify compliance with eligibility requirements.

You should follow up with the Financial Aid Offices at both schools to confirm eligibility.

A PA State Grant awarded for the summer term is included in the maximum number of payments for which a student may be eligible. By law, students are limited to the number of PA State Grant payments needed to complete the program in which they are enrolled (for example, two full academic year grants in a typical associate degree program at a community or junior college) unless special circumstances exist. Students enrolled in a PA State Grant-approved program at business, trade, or technical schools are limited to the number of terms for which the program has been approved. All students are limited to the equivalent of four academic year PA State Grant awards (unless enrolled in a "bona fide" 5-year program). Be sure to talk to your financial aid administrator if you have questions.