Grants for Students

As Vice Chairman of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), I am pleased to announce that PHEAA has approved funding for the Pennsylvania Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP) for the 2013-14 award year.  This marks the second year that the Board of Directors has allocated $5 million from PHEAA’s business earnings without using taxpayer resources to support this need-based grant for Pennsylvania students.

PA-TIP provides grants to students enrolled in the following programs of study: energy; advanced materials and diversified manufacturing; and agriculture and food production.  The maximum award amount is $4,348, which is the equivalent to the highest State Grant award, or 75 percent of the student’s total direct educational costs after gift aid and employers’ aid, whichever is less. 

Applicants must be a Pennsylvania resident, a high school graduate and be enrolled in a qualified course of study on either a full-time basis or, new for 2013-14, on at least a half-time basis if attending an approved public or private, non-profit institution.  Grants may be used to cover such costs like tuition, books, fees, supplies, and specific living expenses for full-time students.

The PA-TIP program is designed to help and support employers in the targeted industries, mentioned above, to develop more skilled employees within the Commonwealth.  During the 2012-13 award year, over 1,200 Pennsylvania students received a total of more than $4.2 million in these types of grants with the average award being $3,389.  Recipients of the awards attended a variety of schools including business, trade and technical, career and technology centers, community colleges, and two-year private schools. 

Interested students must submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and a PA-TIP application, which can both be found on PHEAA’s website. You can also review Frequently Asked Questions on the site and review all the eligibility requirements.

The Targeted Industry Program focuses on preparing students with specialized skills in industry sectors that help drive Pennsylvania’s economy.  This program is a big win with long-term benefits for both the participating students and Commonwealth industries looking for skilled workers and that is why I supported funding for this program once again for this upcoming year. 

For more information on the PA-TIP Program please call PHEAA at 1-800-692-7392 or email patip@pheaa.org.