Workforce Pell Pilot Year Policy
The Massachusetts Workforce Pell Policy is the primary guidance document for implementing the Workforce Pell pilot year. Institutions and training providers may also use the Workforce Pell Program Eligibility Pre-Screen to conduct an initial assessment of program eligibility before reviewing the full policy and application requirements.
The first year is intentionally limited in scope to support implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement before broader expansion. It will be updated over time as part of ongoing implementation and alignment with future planning cycles, including the WIOA State Plan.
The policy outlines key elements under federal and state requirements, including:
- Methodology for identifying high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations
- Criteria for determining alignment with employer hiring needs
- Standards for stackable and portable credentials
- Requirements for academic credit articulation
- Program eligibility criteria under federal and state requirements
- Program review, approval, and Governor certification processes
- Ongoing performance accountability and eligibility requirements
Together, these elements provide a consistent and transparent framework for program eligibility, approval, and oversight.
Workforce Pell Pilot Year Eligible Occupations
The pilot year occupation list represents an initial set of targeted occupations selected for initial implementation and does not reflect all high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations in the Commonwealth. Workforce needs vary across both regions and industries, and future updates may expand this list of eligible occupations. The eligible occupation list will be updated every two years through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) State Plan to reflect changes in workforce needs.
Programs must prepare students for one or more of these occupations, but alignment alone does not make a program eligible. Providers and programs must also meet all other federal and state requirements outlined in the Massachusetts Workforce Pell Policy. Programs that do not align with occupations on this list are generally not eligible to apply. Approved Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), including related technical instruction components, may qualify under separate requirements. For more information about apprenticeships, visit the Division of Apprenticeship Standards website.
FY27 Workforce Pell Pilot Program Application
The FY27 Massachusetts Workforce Pell application is now open through the Executive Office of Education's Grants Management System. To apply, visit the link below and complete the 2027 Funding Application Supplement for Workforce Pell.
Applications must be submitted no later than September 25, 2026 at 2:59 PM ET.
Institutions that do not participate in this initial application round will have opportunities to apply during future cycles. Information on future application rounds will be posted to this webpage as it becomes available.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General FAQs
1. What is Workforce Pell?
Workforce Pell allows Pell Grants to be used for certain short-term workforce training programs. These programs must lead to jobs in high-wage, high-skill, or in-demand fields. They must also meet strict federal requirements for quality and outcomes.
In Massachusetts, education and workforce partners are working together to launch Workforce Pell. This includes higher education, workforce development, and career and technical education systems. The goal is to make sure programs foster economic mobility and align with labor market needs.
2. What programs are eligible?
Occupation alignment is only one component of eligibility. Programs must also satisfy all applicable federal and state requirements described in the Massachusetts Workforce Pell Policy.
Providers interested in determining whether a program may qualify for Workforce Pell should first review the Workforce Pell Program Eligibility Pre-Screen, which provides a high-level assessment of institutional and program eligibility.
Based on federal guidance, eligible programs must:
- Be offered by an accredited Title IV-eligible institution
- Be at least 8 weeks but less than 15 weeks in length and consist of 150 to 599 clock hours (or the credit-hour equivalent)
- Lead to a recognized undergraduate credential that is portable and stackable, or prepare students for an occupation with only one recognized credential
- Include no more than 25% of the program delivered by an ineligible third-party provider (up to 50% for Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs))
- Not be offered through correspondence education, study abroad, or direct assessment, and must not include preparatory non-credit coursework or remedial coursework
- Prepare individuals for jobs in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations, as defined by the Commonwealth
- Align with employer hiring needs
- Achieve a minimum 70% completion rate (measured within 150% of the normal program length)
- Achieve a minimum 70% job placement rate among program exiters, measured in the second quarter following program exit
- Have published tuition and fees that do not exceed the Commonwealth’s interim value-added earnings (VAE) threshold
- Beginning in the 2030-2031 academic year, have published tuition and fees that do not exceed the federal value-added earnings (VAE) threshold
- Have been offered and compliant with all requirements for at least 12 consecutive months prior to approval
- Meet any additional state approval requirements
Programs serving as the Related Technical Instruction (RTI) component of a Registered Apprenticeship Program are presumed to satisfy occupational alignment and employer hiring alignment requirements.
If a program meets all Workforce Pell eligibility requirements, it may be offered online or in a hybrid format, including synchronous or asynchronous online learning with regular instructor interaction.
3. What amount will a student receive through a Workforce Pell Grant?
Workforce Pell Grants are prorated to program length, using the traditional Pell Grant as a basis. Award amounts depend on a student’s Student Aid Index (income, assets, and family size), number of credits, and cost of attendance.
The amount received will vary by student and will depend on their financial need, enrollment, and program length. It is expected that Workforce Pell will not cover the full cost of the program for students.
FAQs for Institutions and Providers
1. What does Workforce Pell mean for institutions and training providers?
Workforce Pell in Massachusetts is expected to start with a small number of pilot year programs. In this early stage, many colleges and training providers may find it beneficial to use the first year to prepare their programs and systems to meet all federal and state requirements.
Higher education institutions and training providers that are interested in Workforce Pell should start planning now. This includes tracking student outcomes like program completion, employment, and earnings. These results will matter for future eligibility. Institutions should also think about how students may use different types of financial aid to complete their training. It is expected that Workforce Pell will not cover the full cost of the program for students.
For programs that are “near-eligible” for Workforce Pell, providers should begin to develop proposed adjustments to programs that would meet eligibility criteria for the 2027-2028 academic year. To be eligible, programs must meet all eligibility requirements for the full 12 months prior to application.
2. Which students are eligible for Workforce Pell?
Workforce Pell eligibility follows the same requirements as traditional Pell Grants. Students must be Pell-eligible based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Awards are available for both part-time and full-time enrollment and are prorated based on enrollment intensity.
Individuals with a bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply, but those with a graduate degree are not eligible.
3. What costs can Workforce Pell cover?
Like traditional Pell Grants, Workforce Pell Grants may be used to cover allowable components of a student’s cost of attendance for an eligible workforce program, including tuition, fees, and other mandatory supplies of the program.
4. How will programs be approved?
Providers and each program must be approved at both the state and federal level. The process will generally follow this flow:
- Institutions submit program information to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, which confirms that the provider is eligible to award Pell Grants.
- The Governor, in consultation with the MassHire State Workforce Development Board, reviews and certifies eligible programs for a given period of time.
- Institutions submit a copy of their Governor certification to the U.S. Department of Education with their Application to Participate in the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (E-App).
- The U.S. Secretary of Education makes the final approval decision.
Approval is subject to both state and federal review, and eligibility standards may evolve as Workforce Pell implementation continues. Workforce Pell funds cannot be applied to a student’s program costs until both state and federal approval is complete.
5. How does the 12-month lookback work for program eligibility?
Federal law requires programs to demonstrate that they meet all Workforce Pell requirements for the 12 months prior to application. This is evaluated as a continuous lookback period, meaning programs must be compliant across the entire timeframe to be eligible.
- Programs must meet all eligibility requirements for the full 12 months prior to application; partial compliance within that period is not sufficient.
- Programs do not need to run continuously, but whenever they are offered during the 12-month period, they must meet all eligibility requirements.
- Programs may be updated during the 12-month period, provided they remain compliant with all eligibility requirements throughout the full lookback window.
- If a program is changed so that it meets eligibility requirements it did not previously meet, the 12-month period begins when the program becomes compliant.
- A program that becomes compliant partway through the lookback period must operate under that compliant structure for a full 12 months before it is eligible to apply.
6. Do program weeks need to be run consecutively?
No. Program weeks do not need to be run consecutively to meet Workforce Pell requirements.
Programs must meet the minimum number of instructional weeks required under federal requirements, but those weeks do not need to occur without breaks. For example, programs may include pauses due to scheduled breaks.
However, the total number of instructional weeks must still meet federal requirements, and the program must be structured so that students can reasonably complete it within the expected timeframe.
7. What types of instructional hours count toward the clock hour requirement?
Only instructional hours count toward clock hour requirements. This includes time spent in:
- Classroom instruction
- Hands-on training or labs
- Supervised clinical or practicum experience
- For registered apprenticeship programs, only related technical instruction (RTI) counts toward clock hours
The following do not count:
- On-the-job training where students are paid
- Unsupervised or self-paced work
- Breaks, orientation, or non-instructional time
8. What is the difference between a “program” and a “course” in the context of Workforce Pell eligibility?
Workforce Pell eligibility is determined at the program level, not the course level. A program may consist of a single course, but it must independently meet all federal and state requirements, including length, instructional hours, approval, and outcomes.
9. Can noncredit remedial courses or ESL courses count toward the program?
Preparatory non-credit coursework or reduced-credit remedial courses, including ESL courses, cannot count toward an eligible workforce program when calculating program length or student eligibility.
FAQs for Learners and Jobseekers
1. How can I use Workforce Pell?
Workforce Pell Grants are not available yet. Individuals should start by contacting their local MassHire workforce board for help exploring workforce training programs that are currently available.
Your local MassHire workforce board can help with:
- Exploring indemand careers and training pathways
- Identifying funding, supports, or services that may be available now, depending on where you are in your journey
- Providing information on local employment opportunities
2. How can I apply for a Workforce Pell Grant?
There is not a specific Workforce Pell application. Individuals should first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov, the same process as traditional Pell Grants.
If you are determined eligible for a traditional Pell Grant, you will automatically be considered for a Workforce Pell Grant when enrolling in an eligible program. Work with your institution’s financial aid office to confirm program eligibility and award amounts.
3. Can I use Workforce Pell if I already have a bachelor’s degree?
Yes. Individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree may still be eligible for a Workforce Pell Grant, depending on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) eligibility.
Any Workforce Pell Grant received will count toward the individual’s total Pell Grant lifetime eligibility limit (the equivalent of six full academic years).
4. Can I use Workforce Pell if I already have a graduate degree?
No. Individuals who have already earned a graduate degree are not eligible to receive Workforce Pell Grants.
Contact
- Learners and jobseekers with questions about training and career options should contact their local MassHire workforce board.
- Higher education institutions and training providers with questions about program eligibility, state approval, or other general program information can email: workforcepell@mass.gov.