The PA State GEAR UP scholarship is a 4-year renewable award for eligible students who have graduated from PA State GEAR UP high schools beginning in 2008 and continuing through 2013. Grants will continue through four years of postsecondary school until 2017. The PA State GEAR UP Grant was awarded to the PA State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) which administers the grant. PHEAA will join PASSHE in administering the scholarships in 2008. Download brochure here (file is 3.9 mb)in .pdf format.

Who is eligible for the scholarship?

PA State GEAR UP Program regulations require that students meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Student must be less than 22 years old at time of first scholarship award.
• Student must receive a secondary school diploma from one of the following schools: Harrisburg High School (includes William Penn, CTA and Sci Tech) in the Harrisburg School District; and Martin Luther King, John Bartram Main, Strawberry Mansion or Young Women's Leadership School at Rhodes High School in the School District of Philadelphia.
• Student must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a program of undergraduate instruction at an accredited institution of higher education located in Pennsylvania.

What is the amount of the scholarship?

• The award will be the maximum amount of the Federal Pell Grant for the year of acceptance to a postsecondary program (i.e., in 2007, the Pell amount is $4,310).
• Graduates of a PA State GEAR UP high school must complete a Pennsylvania State GEAR UP Recipient Agreement and MAIL to PHEAA (GEAR UP), P.O. Box 8114, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8114 or FAX to 717-720-3914 Attention: PHEAA - GEAR UP.
• PA State GEAR UP scholarship recipients must be accepted at an accredited Pennsylvania institution of higher education. The Financial Aid Office at the college or university will determine the amount of the scholarship based on information obtained from each student's FAFSA.

What is the awards process?

• Each student and his/her family must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for a PA State GEAR UP scholarship.
• "The PA State GEAR UP scholarship is awarded after the Pell and PA State grant.

Board of Governor’s Scholarships:The 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities are partners in the PA State GEAR UP Grant. As a partner in the grant, each university has made a commitment to offer Board of Governor’s Scholarships (BOG) to eligible GEAR UP students. The BOG scholarship is a tuition waiver awarded to students who have achieved academic excellence in high school and who meet other criteria established by the university.

Students who may be considered for a BOG must be accepted for admission to one of the following State System universities: Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, California University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, and West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

What kinds of financial assistance are available to college-going students?

Financial aid comes from federal, state, college, and private sources. Most governmental financial aid is need based. This means that households with limited incomes qualify for the most assistance. When people talk about financial aid, you may hear words like grants or scholarships, tax credits, work-study and loans.

Grants and scholarships are "free" money--you don't have to pay it back. Generally, a student must be an undergraduate student, and the amount of the grant depends on need.

Federal tax credits reduce the amount of income tax you pay. Tax credits are subtracted from the tax your family owes, instead of subtracting them from taxable income like a tax deduction.

The Federal work-study program provides jobs for college students with financial need that will help him or her pay educational expenses. Most jobs are on-campus, but sometimes colleges have agreements with off-campus employers who hire students for jobs related to the students’ course of study.

Loans are borrowed money that you do have to pay back with interest. Most college students take out these low interest loans. In fact, four out of five college graduates borrowed money for their education, and it was worth it! A college graduate earns an additional $1.3 million dollars over his or her lifetime, compared to the earnings of a high school graduate.

Learn more about how to pay for education after high school from the PA State GEAR UP Direct Service Coordinator at your school. Remember, information about financial aid is free. You should never have to pay for this information!

The following resources offer more information about Pennsylvania postsecondary institutions, grants and scholarships, loans, federal tax credits, federal work-study, and how you may apply for financial help to attend college.

Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
The Student Guide:
Finaid.org
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
State System of Higher Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Going to college is GEARing UP for life!