Financial Aid
Paying for College
Paying for college is one of the largest expenses most families will incur. We have designed this website to identify potential resources to help you fund a Penn State Scranton education.
After completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Penn State Scranton students will be considered for all federal financial aid programs, including grants, loans and work-study programs. In addition, they may be eligible for state grant funds from their home state. For Pennsylvania residents, specific information about the Pennsylvania State Grant Program can be found at https://www.pheaa.org/.
Information about specific fund eligibility can be found at www.studentaid.psu.edu/.
Students at Penn State Scranton are also considered for scholarship support, which can originate from the Office of Student Aid, the student's academic college, and/or campus scholarships.
*Please note: Our Penn State Scranton campus scholarship committee reviews all first-year Penn State Scranton students on a rolling basis, based upon their prior academic performance - no application is required to be considered for campus scholarship funds.
Definition of Financial (Student) Aid
Student aid can be defined as any resource that supplements what parents and students are expected to contribute to meet the costs of a college education.
ALL students are encouraged to apply for financial aid regardless of perceived financial need.
Types of Student (Financial) Aid
There are four types of student aid: Grants, Scholarships, Loans and Work Study.
Grants
Grants are awarded based solely on financial need and have no requirement of repayment. They may come from the Federal government, the state or the university.
Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement. For many University scholarships, financial need is an additional criterion of eligibility. There is no requirement of repayment.
Loans
Loans are low interest awards that must be repaid after students terminate their studies at the University.
Federal Work Study
Federal work study funds are awarded based upon the financial need of the student and the availability of funds. Students who accept Federal work study funds can earn money towards their school expenses. Work study earnings are not applied directly to your semester bill. Students receive a paycheck.
CHECK WITH MARY BETH RE: THE FOLLOWING ITALICIZED PARAGRAPHS:
The Office of Human Resources is pleased to announce the availability of child care subsidy funds to qualifying student parents. Funds are available through the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Student Parent Child Care Subsidy Program
The Office of Human Resources implements the Student Parent Child Care Subsidy Program at all Penn State campus locations. Our goal is to provide undergraduate and graduate (available at some locations) student parents with financial assistance for safe, quality child care thereby enabling them to achieve their academic goals.
Student parents also may receive financial assistance for sick and emergency care, summer child care, and care during finals and mid-term periods. Qualifying student parents may utilize this subsidy to assist in child care costs at licensed child care centers and family home providers in their communities. Please see qualifications in the application form.
Please assist our program by distributing this information to your student population. Updates to the Penn State student child care subsidy web site will occur regularly. Therefore , please consider including a link from your web site to: http://childcaresubsidy.psu.edu
Questions and detailed information about the Penn State Student Parent Child Care Subsidy Program can be directed to Stephanie L. Zezzo in the Office of Human Resources at (800) 746-6759 or subsidy@psu.edu .
