Workforce Pell Grant Program

Workforce Pell Grant Program is sponsored by South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. Offers short-duration programs designed to prepare students for employment by obtaining industry-recognized credentials through job training lasting 8-15 weeks.

Workforce Pell | SC Works Pell Grant eligibility has been expanded to qualifying workforce programs! New requirements, process, and contact information. The Laurens SC Works Center has moved to a new location at 291 Professional Park Road Clinton, SC 29325 Clinton, SC 29325.

Hours and Contact Information The SC Works Centers in Anderson, Clemson, and Seneca will close at 12:00p. m. on Friday, August 7, 2026.

The Working Families Tax Cuts Act (WFTCA) modified the Federal Pell Grant program under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. Signed into law on July 4, 2025, the WFTCA expanded Pell Grant eligibility to qualifying workforce programs through the Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell regulation (Workforce Pell).

Shorter in duration than undergraduate programs eligible for Pell Grants, eligible workforce programs are required to meet program-specific accountability metrics related to graduate earnings, as well as indicia of employer demand.

The Workforce Pell program expands federal financial aid, in the form of grants, to students enrolled in high-quality, short-term job-training programs (from eight to 15 weeks) that lead to industry-recognized credentials. The U.S. Department of Education provided states a framework of how to implement Workforce Pell, but left important details up to each Governor, such as the approval process, targeted occupations, and implementation.

The Governor of South Carolina delegated the core responsibilities of Workforce Pell to the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Workforce Development (CCWD), in consultation with the State Workforce Development Board (SWDB). The Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW), the state entity responsible for administering the Workforce Pell program, will hereinafter be referred to as “the State.

” Initial implementation of the Workforce Pell program will focus on a targeted set of occupations and sectors to allow for ongoing evaluations and refinement. The SC Works Management Committee in the SWDB and a CCWD working group will concurrently review completed applications, with the final determination made by the CCWD's Executive Committee.

Requirements for Workforce Programs and Providers The eligibility criteria must be met by the institution and its workforce program for the 12 months immediately preceding certification. Institution Requirements: Creation of an SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) account Signed Program Participation Agreement (PPA), in compliance with 34 CFR § 690.

93(f) Compliance with all state licensure requirements and current licensing status Be in good standing and current on state unemployment insurance taxes Workforce Program Standards: A minimum of 8, but less than 15 weeks of instruction 4–16 semesters/trimesters 6 quarter hours – 24 quarter hours Correspondence courses (24 CFR 600.

2) Coursework that takes place as part of a study abroad program Credit or clock hour equivalencies that are part of a direct assessment program (34 CFR 668. 10) (These items are verified by the US Department of Education.)

Federal Performance Requirements: Award years 2026-27, 2027-28, and 2028-29: at least 70%, within 150 percent of the normal time to completion Award years after 2028-29 : at least 70%, within 150% of the normal time of completion, as determined under 34 CFR 668.

6(f) Award years 2026-27, 2027-28 , and 2028-29: at least 70%, calculated as the percentage of students who are employed during the second quarter after exiting the program Award years after 2028-29: at least 70%, calculated as the percentage of students who are employed in either: the occupation(s) for which the program prepares students, or a comparable high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupation during the second quarter after successful program completion Total published tuition and fees may not exceed the value-added earnings of program graduates who received a Pell grant for enrollment, completed the program three years prior to the current award year, and are now working.

Determined by calculating the difference between the median earnings of program graduates the first full tax year following program completion, and 150% of the poverty line applicable to a single individual for such tax year.

Published tuition and fees must be at or below the value-added earnings State Eligibility Requirements: Provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and occupations Meets the hiring requirements of potential employers in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and occupations Provides either of the following: A recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable across more than one employer; or Preparation for employment in an occupation with only one recognized postsecondary credential, which they are given upon completion Prepares students to pursue one or more certification or degree program at one or more eligible institution Provides academic credit that is acceptable toward meeting the certificate or degree program requirements Post-Program Requirements: Each award year after program approval, the institution must submit to the State: A list of students who completed the program during the award year The information necessary to verify the job placement rate After the one-year initial eligibility period, an institution seeking continued eligibility approval must submit the following in SCWOS: The Federal Performance Requirements data Any changes to the previously approved State Eligibility Requirements , including a current program description and contact information A current PPA for the upcoming award year, in compliance with 34 CFR § 690.

93(f) All student data, as required in the state policy under Reporting Requirements Each award year, the institution must report the published tuition and fees for the eligible workforce program Eligibility Submission and Determination Process Flow To apply for the South Carolina Workforce Pell Grant program, programs and providers must complete an application in SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) and attach the Workforce Pell attestation form to the completed application.

The Workforce Pell Provider Attestation form can be found here. Register to complete the online application by clicking here . *Remember to upload and attach the completed provider attestation form with your online application.

For questions regarding South Carolina Workforce Pell, contact WFPell@dew. sc. gov Eligible Occupations List Workforce Pell Provider Attestation form Workforce Pell Letter of Certification *Last Modified, July 30, 2026