Workforce Pell Grants

Workforce Pell Grants is sponsored by Alabama Department of Labor. Expands federal Pell Grant eligibility to cover short-term training programs preparing students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand jobs.

Workforce Pell Grants - Workforce Alabama Workforce Pell Grants - Workforce Alabama Help students get paid while you train. Workforce Pell Grants expand federal Pell Grant eligibility to cover short-term training programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand jobs across Alabama. Programs must be approved by the Governor before students can receive funds.

The Governor’s Policy on approval can be found here. 34 CFR §§ 690. 90–690.

97 Workforce Pell was enacted via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H. R. 1) on July 4, 2025, to expand federal Pell Grant eligibility and address workforce shortages.

The goal of Workforce Pell is to help low-income students access short-term, career-focused training without needing a full degree, boosting employability in in-demand sectors such as health care, manufacturing, IT or skilled trades. Students can receive prorated amounts from the maximum Pell award (currently $7,395, adjusted annually).

There is no repayment required, and eligibility for stackable credentials can lead to further education. Eligible programs must demonstrate strong outcomes, such as 70% completion and job placement rates, which ensure value for students and taxpayers.

To qualify for Workforce Pell, a program must meet all of the following requirements and be offered by an eligible institution — one that has not been subject to any suspension, emergency action, or Title IV termination in the preceding five years. Duration and credit-hour requirements 34 CFR § 690.

9 2 8–less than 15 weeks of instruction required 4–15 semester / trimester hours Trains students for a high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupation on ADOW’s annually published list, as identified by the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways (ACCCP) using Alabama’s Five-Star Demand Rubric.

Leads to a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable — or is the sole recognized credential for the target occupation. Provides academic credit applicable toward at least one certificate or degree program at an eligible institution.

Meets the hiring requirements of employers in the target occupation — evidenced by at least one employer letter of endorsement, or by conferring an industry-recognized credential (IRC) as defined under WIOA. Demonstrates a completion rate ≥ 70% within 150% of normal program time, and a job placement rate ≥ 70% measured as employed during the second quarter after program exit. 34 CFR § 690.

94 Has operated in its current form for the 12 months immediately preceding certification. Meets annual value-added earnings requirements as defined in 34 CFR § 690. 95.

Registered Apprenticeship RTI components automatically satisfy the in-demand and employer-aligned criteria. For Registered Apprenticeship RTI, the Title IV institution must provide more than 50 % of the instruction (the ineligible sponsor may provide up to just under 50%). The RTI component must still lead to a separate recognized postsecondary credential, and the 70% completion / 70% placement standards still apply.

Programs are not eligible if delivered via correspondence courses, as study abroad, or as credit/clock-hour equivalencies under a direct assessment program. 34 CFR § 600. 2 The Alabama Department of Workforce (ADOW) administers the state application process.

Institutions submit applications through the ADOW portal; The governor makes all final approval decisions. Both state and federal approval must be in place before students can receive Workforce Pell funds. Institutions should apply early — federal approval timelines are outside ADOW’s control.

Required application contents Each application must include the following for every program submitted: Full program description; CIP code; SOC code(s) for target occupations; program length; tuition and fees. An agreement to provide data necessary to evaluate completion and placement metrics; documentation supporting ≥ 70% rates on both measures.

Institutions provide completion data, and ADOW validates placement via wage records (with provisional placement during initial implementation). Evidence of stackability and portability; employer letter(s) of endorsement; or evidence of industry-recognized credential status under WIOA.

Information evidencing federal program eligibility; accreditation verification; signed statement that the program has operated for the 12 months immediately preceding certification. Signed certification that the applicant is an eligible institution; signed certification that the program is an eligible program under 34 CFR §§ 690. 90–690.

97. State review & governor approval Once submitted, applications move through a structured review process before reaching the governor. ADOW completeness and compliance review ADOW reviews submissions for completeness and compliance with federal and state requirements 34 CFR §§ 690.

90–690. 97 , using available administrative data including wage records. ADOW’s review covers: Compliance with applicable federal and state laws, this application process, and all relevant CFR provisions.

Whether the program meets the completion and placement requirements, using the methodology determined by Alabama’s P20W Council. Whether the program trains for an occupation on ADOW’s published In-Demand Occupations list. Whether the program meets hiring requirements of potential employers in Alabama’s in-demand occupations.

Whether the program leads to a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable — or the sole credential for the target occupation. Whether the program prepares students for further credentials by awarding academic credit toward related certificate or degree requirements. Whether the program is a Registered Apprenticeship RTI component (automatically satisfies in-demand and employer criteria).

Secretary of ADOW recommendation ADOW forwards complete applications to the governor with a formal recommendation from the Secretary of ADOW, after consultation with the chair of the Alabama Workforce Board (AWB), as to whether the governor should approve or deny the application. Governor’s review and decision The governor reviews the application and ADOW’s recommendation. If the program has met the requirements of 34 CFR § 690.

93 for the 12 months immediately preceding certification, the governor may approve the program and issue a certificate of approval to the institution. The governor provides notice of the decision to both the applicant and ADOW. Governor-approved programs are submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Education for final federal program eligibility determination.

Students cannot receive Workforce Pell funds until federal approval is also in place. The governor’s approval expires at the expiration of the institution’s program participation agreement under 34 CFR § 668. 13.

Prior to expiration, the governor may issue a certificate of continued eligibility. If the governor withdraws approval, the institution, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Labor will be notified within 15 calendar days. Applicants may appeal a denial within 14 calendar days from the date notice of denial was received.

Appeals must be submitted in writing to the governor and the Secretary of the Department of Workforce and must include any relevant information supporting the appeal. The governor may reconsider the denial and issue a written determination within 60 calendar days of receiving the appeal. Appeals may be submitted by mail or email: Office of the Secretary of Workforce Montgomery, Alabama 36130 wfp@workforce.

alabama. gov Find a state-approved program A list of Alabama-approved Workforce Pell programs will be posted on the ADOW Workforce Pell website once final approvals are issued. Apply at StudentAid.

gov . Apply early — deadlines vary by institution. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree must have their Workforce Pell eligibility manually verified in the federal system by their institution’s financial aid office.

Students who have earned, or are enrolled in a program leading to a graduate credential are not eligible. Enroll and receive your award Once enrolled in an approved program, your institution will confirm eligibility and award funds. Students may not receive a Workforce Pell Grant and a standard Pell Grant concurrently.

Awards count toward the 12-semester lifetime Pell limit. ADOW does not award funds. Students must contact their institution regarding awards.

High-Skill, High-Wage, and In-Demand Occupations The Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways (ACCCP) provides Alabama workforce and education programming with a unified definition of occupations considered high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand. An occupation must meet criteria 1, 2, 3, and either 4 or 5 to appear on a Workforce Development Region’s In-Demand Occupations List.

Occupations qualifying on at least three regional lists are added to the statewide list. The list is updated every two years on the schedule of ADOW’s Occupational Projections. Median wages are based on ADOW’s administration of the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Survey; growth and openings data from the BLS Projections Managing Partnership.

For more information, see the In-Demand Occupations Methodology . # Alabama’s Five-Star Demand Rubric — criterion 1 The occupation’s regional median wage meets or exceeds 70% of the regional median wage for all occupations. 2 The occupation shows positive projected growth over a 10-year projection period.

3 The occupation is projected to have a minimum of 15 annual openings in its region. 4 or 5 The occupation’s regional median wage meets or exceeds 70% of the Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) for the Metro: South area for a family of two. 5 or 4 The occupation requires a postsecondary degree, certificate, or credential for initial employment.

Meeting the hiring requirements of employers A program meets employer hiring requirements when at least one employer in the community that employs individuals in the target occupation provides a letter of endorsement. Programs conferring a credential that meets the definition of “Industry-Recognized Credential” (IRC) under WIOA are also considered to meet this requirement.

A credential that is part of a sequence of credentials accumulated over time, helping individuals build qualifications and move along a career pathway or career ladder toward potentially higher-paying jobs. A credential that is recognized and accepted as verifying an individual’s qualifications in other settings — such as other geographic areas, other educational institutions, or other industries or businesses.

Programs awarding academic credit Workforce training programs that are part of an articulation agreement awarding credit hours toward a related certificate or degree program at one or more Alabama institutions. The award year that ends three full award years prior to the beginning of the award year for which value-added earnings are being determined.

Earnings measurement period The first full tax year following the award year in which the student completed the eligible workforce program. The institutional charges for an eligible workforce program.

Recognized postsecondary credential A credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate or certification; a certificate of completion of a Registered Apprenticeship under 29 CFR part 29; a license recognized by the State of Alabama or federal government; or an associate or baccalaureate degree.

An institution that, during the five years preceding the date of determination, has not been subject to any suspension, emergency action, or termination of Title IV programs. Where not otherwise specified, the application review process, including any notices, will proceed or be given in a reasonable amount of time.

At the discretion of the governor, Alabama may enter into bilateral agreements with other states to either recognize programs approved by those states as eligible under Alabama’s Workforce Pell framework or to allow Alabamians in programs in other states to receive Workforce Pell dollars, in compliance with 34 CFR S 690. 93(h). Agreements will be published here once executed.

To request a bilateral agreement, submit a written request to: State Capitol, Montgomery, Alabama 36130 wfp@workforce. alabama. gov All bilateral agreement requests must include the requesting state’s applicable program approval framework and evidence of alignment with 34 CFR § 690.

93(h). Questions about the state application process should be directed to ADOW. Questions about federal requirements or Title IV eligibility should be directed to the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office.

Email ADOW — Workforce Pell wfp@workforce. alabama. gov Alabama Department of Workforce Montgomery, Alabama 36130 ADOW Workforce Pell portal workforce.

alabama. gov/employers/workforce-pell-grants In-demand occupations list ADOW Labor Market Info r mation Workforce Pell Grant F. A.

Q. My institution is affiliated with ACCS or ACHE. How do I apply?

ACCS and ACHE will assist with application preparation for partner institutions. Contact ACCS at workforcepell@accs. edu or ACHE at lakerri.

gill@ache. edu to get started. My accredited institution is not affiliated with ACCS or ACHE.

How do I apply? All other accredited institutions should apply through the application portal on the ADOW website: workforce. alabama.

gov Does my institution need both state and federal approval? Institutions must start with state approval to obtain a certification from the governor, then proceed with the federal application. How long does a program remain approved?

The governor’s approval expires at the expiration of the institution’s program participation agreement under 34 CFR § 668. 13. How is Workforce Pell different from the traditional Pell Grant?

Traditional Pell and Workforce Pell are the same grant program, applicable to different types of post-secondary programs. Students may not use Pell funds for both types of programs concurrently. I’m a student.

How do I access Pell Grants for workforce programs? Workforce Pell-eligible programs are listed on the ADOW Website: workforce. alabama.

gov . Complete your FAFSA and apply through StudentAid. gov .

My program trains individuals for an occupation that is not on the In-Demand Occupations list. Can it still be approved for Workforce Pell? Workforce Pell-eligible programs must train students towards at least one occupation on the list of In-Demand Occupations, which are reviewed every two years.

For information on how occupations are classified or reclassified, please direct inquiries to wfp@workforce. alabama. gov .