Grants

Grants are free money awarded to students who show financial need, and no repayment is required. To be eligible for grants you must have a complete FAFSA on file.

Pell Grant

The grants listed below are processed by East Stroudsburg University.

The Federal Pell Grant is determined by need and you must be working towards your first bachelor's degree. The max Pell grant award for the academic year that students can qualify for is $7,395.

The maximum number of years a student may receive a Federal Pell Grant is the equivalent of six years. For information on how to calculate your eligibility, please visit Federal Student Aid: Pell Grants.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is created to support undergraduate students with exceptional financial need and is awarded on a first come first serve basis of when we receive a student’s FAFSA. Students must also be eligible for Pell, but not every student receiving Pell will receive FSEOG.

Funding is limited so it is important to complete your FAFSA as soon as possible.

Pennsylvanaia and Other State Grant

The PA State Grant is awarded to degree-seeking undergraduate students from Pennsylvania who have a completed their FAFSA by May 1 and demonstrate financial need as determined by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). PHEAA administers the grant and determines a student's eligibility.

Additional Eligibility requirements: 

• Be pursuing your first undergraduate degree.
• Be enrolled for at least six credits (no more than three remedial credits) for a part-time grant and at least 12 credits (no more than six remedial credits) for a full-time grant.
• Maintain PA State Grant Academic Progress - Earn 12 new, non-remedial credits (a repeat of a course in which the student previously earned a grade of “D” or better will not be considered new) for each term a PA State Grant was received in the prior academic year in question.

PA State Grant Form & Documentation Submission Deadline:

Students needing to complete the PA State Grant Form or any supplemental forms/documentation have additional time to complete these requirements. However, the sooner these requirements are completed, the sooner PHEAA can determine a student's eligibility. 

The PA State Grant Form itself and/or any additional documentation requested must be completed before April 1 of the current academic year.

Disclaimer: An academic year is the period during which classes are held. At East Stroudsburg University, the academic year typically includes:

1. Summer Session: Optional term(s) from May to August.
2. Fall Semester: Late August to December.
3. Spring Semester: January to May.

The academic year also includes breaks such as winter break between the fall and spring semesters, and a spring break in March.

Why Does PHEAA Need My FAFSA? 

Once your FAFSA is complete, Federal Student Aid (FSA) will transmit your FAFSA data to PHEAA's new GrantUs system. PHEAA uses the information from your FAFSA (such as income, assets, and household size) to determine your eligibility for the PA State Grant. 

GrantUs is PHEAA's platform to apply for all things related to the PA State Grant and special programs they administer. Some benefits of the GrantUs platform are:

• Enhanced User Experience
• Easy Application Process
• Ability to Track Your Grant Status
• Automated Updates & Notifications

How Will I Be Notified to Create My Account? 

PHEAA will email students a link to create and activate their GrantUs account after their FAFSA data has been received by the agency. Here's what you need to know:

• Notifications are sent to the student's email address that was provided on the FAFSA.
• Email notifications will be sent from: NoReply@grantus.pheaa.org
  
  • Check your Spam and Junk folders.
• The activation link provided in the email invitation is only valid for 24 hrs only.
  
  • If you need a new activation link, click the one provided to you in your email invitation and then choose 'Forgot Password'.
  • You will enter the student's email address from the FAFSA and a new activation link will be sent to you.
    
    • Make sure to create your account as soon as you can - the updated link will expire within 24 hours. 

You must activate GrantUs by setting a password and completing multi-factor authentication.

Check out PHEAA's GrantUs resources if you need help.

Any Pennsylvania resident who completed the FAFSA by May 1 should create a GrantUs account once they have received an invitation from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). 

Once a student has their GrantUs account created, they will be able to update personal info and school choice, submit additional documentation that may be requested, and invite a parent to provide an electronic signature if needed.

• Award eligibility will be communicated through your GrantUs account. If PHEAA requires more information to assess your eligibility, they will send another email to you asking you to log into GrantUs to review and complete their request.
• If you need to make changes to your 2025/26 FAFSA, log into StudentAid.gov to make the corrections.  PHEAA will receive your updated FAFSA information from FSA in another data transfer until August 1, 2025.
  
  • If you are making changes after this date, contact PHEAA directly. 

New, First-time Students:

Once logged into your GrantUs account, go to your Action Items list and complete the:

• PA State Grant Form
  
  • Dependent students - You may need to invite your parent to create their own GrantUs account to sign your form.
• High School Form
• Any additional documentation being requested.

Current, Returning Students:

Students who completed a PA State Grant application in a prior year should already have a GrantUs account and they typically won’t need to do a new State Grant Form or High School Form. However, additional items may be requested to finalize your information and determine your eligibility. 

Once logged into your GrantUs account:

• Check your Action Items List for any requested documentation or information.
• Returning students should also submit any appropriate PA State Grant documents indicating any changes that may affect your PA State Grant award, such as a change in your marital status or a change in your income compared to what was reported on the FAFSA.