For years, students enrolled in short-term workforce training programs haven’t been able to receive federal student grants to pay their tuition.
That’s going to change soon, though. Starting this summer, the U.S. Department of Education will start expanding access to Pell Grants for students enrolled in shorter certificate and credential programs, which range between eight and 15 weeks long.
Called Workforce Pell, this federal funding is an effort to expand student aid beyond two- and four-year college degree programs. In Indiana, Ivy Tech Community College will likely lead the charge, since it already offers a variety of credential programs.
State lawmakers proposed a bill this session that would establish a process where institutions can receive approval for Workforce Pell grants and report data about grant recipients’ outcomes, including earnings and job placement. That legislation, Senate Bill 161, passed out of the Senate Jan. 26 and was referred to the House education committee.
As government and college officials work to get the new program off the ground, here’s what students should know.
What is Workforce Pell?
Pell Grants are federal loans that generally go to families making less than $50,000 a year. Students receive the money after filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
The federal government expanded Pell Grants to include shorter workforce programs as part of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act last summer.
The Workforce Pell program will distribute grants to students enrolled in programs that are between eight and 15 weeks long through an accredited institution, such as a college or trade school.
The federal law also requires that programs offering Workforce Pell funding must lead to high-wage jobs in high-demand industries, and that students should earn some kind of post-high school credential that’s recognized by employers.
What type of credential could I earn under Workforce Pell?
Because the federal Department of Education is still in the process of finalizing rules for Workforce Pell, colleges can’t start adding programs yet.
However, Mary Jane Michalak, senior vice president of legal and public affairs with Ivy Tech Community College, said the college is looking into modifying programs it already offers to become eligible for Workforce Pell funding. In part, that’s because a program has to exist for at least a year before students can get Workforce Pell funding to pay for it.
Those programs will likely be focused on entry-level health care roles, such as phlebotomists, emergency medical technicians and certified nursing assistants.
Other programs Ivy Tech is looking at, Michalak said, include commercial drivers license, welding and industrial maintenance.
How much money will students get?
Students getting Workforce Pell Grants will receive less money than a typical Pell Grant because they’re in shorter programs.
Per a Department of Education analysis, students could receive up to $3,980, depending on the length of the program and how many hours of instruction students receive in that time.
How is Workforce Pell different from state programs?
Indiana offers a program called Next Level Jobs where Indiana students can get certain credentials paid for at Ivy Tech if they don’t have a college degree or credential.
Michalak said Ivy Tech is looking at new Workforce Pell programs as the first step in a student’s career or educational journey.
“They may choose to do the Workforce Pell so that they can get a better job, enter the workforce and then choose to go back,” Michalak said, “I see it as another on-ramp for individuals with opportunity for educational advancement.”
When will students start receiving money?
The law authorizing Workforce Pell is scheduled to go into effect July 1. But that doesn’t mean students will start getting money right away.
It’s unclear when the federal government will publish its final guidance on Workforce Pell. Even after that, schools will have to get approval from both the state and federal governments that their proposed program meets all the requirements to get Workforce Pell money.
In Indiana, Michalak said Ivy Tech is working with state agencies, including the Commission for Higher Education and Department of Workforce Development, to understand what the college needs to do to get programs approved.
“It will probably be more like fall of ‘26 or spring of ‘27 before we would really see a rollout of this,” Michalak said.
What if I need a certification now?
If you can’t get paid training through your employer, many short-term credentials at Ivy Tech are part of the state’s Next Level Jobs program, meaning your tuition could be paid if you meet certain criteria.
To get financial assistance through Next Level Jobs, you must be an Indiana resident and have a high school diploma or GED. You also cannot have previously completed a college degree.
To learn more about which certificates and credentials are eligible, check out Ivy Tech’s website.
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Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire by email claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org, on most social media @clairerafford or on Signal 317-759-0429.
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