#pell-grant

#pell-grant

In the 2024-25 academic year, nearly 10 million students were eligible for the Pell Grant. That's 6 percent more than the year before. Nearly eight million of them were eligible for the max award of $7,395, which is up 31 percent from 2023-24.

Under the new law, the Pell Grant will now cover short-term, career-oriented certificate programs that range from 150 to 599 clock hours or are a credit-based equivalent between eight to 14 weeks in length. In order to be eligible for Workforce Pell, programs will have to exist and meet eligibility criteria for at least one year.

With negotiated rule making under way, and 2026 implementation deadlines looming, a new deep-dive report from Inside Higher Ed, "After Reconciliation: Higher Ed Reform and Where Left-Right Collaboration Matters Most," looks at conservative, progressive and institutional priorities and perspectives on three key areas of OBBBA: institutional accountability for student outcomes; new loan limits and payment reforms; and changes to the Pell Grant program, including the introduction of Workforce Pell.

We know that today's workforce, much of it requires a college education, so it's almost a necessary criterion to earn a living wage in today's society.