As early as October, students in an Ivy Tech medical assisting program will be able to receive Workforce Pell Grant money.
Ivy Tech Community College’s medical assistant preparation program was approved for the grant funding Aug. 19, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education.
The college is hoping to start offering students Workforce Pell Grants by Ivy Tech’s second eight-week session in October, Ivy Tech spokesperson Annie Goeller told Mirror Indy.
The college estimates a student receiving the maximum Workforce Pell Grant would get about $1,850, Goeller said. Tuition and fees for the medical assistant prep program are about $1,450.
The medical assisting prep certificate is offered at 18 of Ivy Tech’s 19 campuses, including in Indianapolis.
Ivy Tech’s medical assisting program is only the second in the country to be approved for the federal Pell Grant funding, according to the release. The first was an emergency medical technician program in Iowa, approved earlier this month.
Workforce Pell background
Pell Grants are federal financial aid funds that do not have to be repaid. These grants typically go to students whose families make less than $60,000 a year.
Traditionally, Pell Grants have gone to students participating in programs that are at least 15 weeks, which aligns more closely with a traditional semester schedule. But under Workforce Pell, students will be able to get aid for programs that are between eight and 14 weeks long.
Get the backstory
The program was approved in 2025 as part of President Donald Trump’s budget bill and went into effect July 1.
To be eligible for Workforce Pell funding, programs have to meet a series of requirements, including being offered for at least a year and offered by a college or university that can receive federal financial aid.
Schools must be able to demonstrate that the program meets both a 70% completion rate and a 70% job placement rate, as well as ensuring students are making required earnings set by the program’s guidelines.
Credentials also have to lead to jobs in high-demand fields, which Indiana has determined to be healthcare, transportation, information technology, construction and advanced manufacturing. And, students must be able to “stack” that credential to get credit toward a longer certificate or degree, if they choose.
In July, Gov. Mike Braun announced that Ivy Tech and Vincennes would be the first two colleges to offer Workforce Pell in Indiana.
Vincennes University also submitted two programs for Workforce Pell funding — a medical assisting program and an electrical technical maintenance certificate.
David Tucker, Vincennes’ vice president for workforce development and community services, told Mirror Indy Aug. 19 that the university was still waiting on approval from the federal education department.
What’s next?
To be eligible for the federal funding, students must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and meet the Pell Grant income requirements.
This fall, Goeller said counselors at Ivy Tech campuses statewide will be working with students to help them understand Workforce Pell Grants and other financial aid options.
Though the college continues to review its programs, Ivy Tech hasn’t submitted another program for Workforce Pell approval yet.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations. Sign up for our free newsletters.
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire by email claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org, at 317-759-0249 or on most social media @clairerafford.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
