PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) administers state student financial aid programs, such as state grants, student loans, and work-study employment. For a complete list of programs, visit https://www.pheaa.org/
Since MDHSA is often asked if homeschooled students are qualified to apply for state grants, we are posting the following information that can be found PHEAA’s FAQ page and PHEAA’s Apply/Renew page:
MUST I BE A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE TO QUALIFY FOR A STATE GRANT?
Yes. You must be a graduate of an approved high school, a Department of Defense high school, a foreign high school that has obtained U.S. accreditation, have a General Education Diploma (GED) or another high school equivalency credential, or received a diploma meeting one of the following requirements:
- Home schooling—If you are the recipient of a diploma issued as the result of completing a home education program, you meet the high school graduation requirement if one of the following is true:
- For diplomas issued after October 31, 2014, and as a result of Act 196, you possess a Supervisor issued, state-recognized home education diploma. More information regarding these diplomas, please contact the PA Department of Education at (717) 783-6788 or visit education.pa.gov.
- Your diploma was issued by one of the home education organizations recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to issue diplomas.
- You’ve received certification from the Superintendent of your local school district which indicates that your home education program complies with the Home Education Law 24 PS 13-1327.1. The “Home Education Certification Form” can be obtained at PHEAA.org/forms under the “General Documents and Forms” section and must be completed and submitted to meet the high school graduation requirement. You should request that the appropriate local school official complete the form.
Information on how to apply for state grants can be found on PHEAA’s Apply/Renew page.
Grant application deadlines differ for initial applications and renewal applications. To see which deadline applies to you, see the chart below which has been copied from PHEAA’s Apply/Renew page under “Pennsylvania State Grant Deadlines.”
