Section 2022-A. Grow Pennsylvania Tuition Waiver Program (Hdg. amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47).--(a) Beginning with the class of first-time freshmen enrolling for the 2025-2026 academic year, the agency, in conjunction with the system, shall administer a program, which is established and shall be known as the Grow Pennsylvania Tuition Waiver Program. The agency shall award tuition waivers to eligible nonresident students. ((a) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(b) To be eligible for receipt of a tuition waiver, an eligible nonresident student must:
(1) Have a high school grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
(2) Be enrolled full time in person in an approved course of study at an institution, except that a person may take online courses that are part of the curriculum.
(3) Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the agency.
(4) Not have earned a bachelor's degree or master's degree or the equivalent. ((4) amended July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(5) Enter into a written agreement with the agency to:
(i) Satisfy all degree requirements and other requirements of this section.
(ii) Reside and commence employment in this Commonwealth within one year after completion of an approved course of study culminating in a bachelor's degree, associate's degree or, if enrolled in an accelerated master's degree program, master's degree. The employment must be in an in-demand occupation, as determined by the agency, for a period of twelve months for each academic year the student received a tuition waiver, unless the agency determines that there are extenuating circumstances. If the agency determines that there are no extenuating circumstances, residency and employment in this Commonwealth must be maintained for the duration of the qualifying employment. ((ii) amended July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(iii) Reimburse the agency the aggregate amount of a tuition waiver received, including interest, under this section if the student breaches the agreement. For a student who partially satisfies the work requirement, the agency shall prorate the required reimbursement. Any interest charged may not be more than the three-month U.S. Treasury bill rate.
((5) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(c) The agency shall:
(1) Develop guidelines, including instructions for how a nonresident student may apply for a tuition waiver and how institutions may receive tuition waiver funds from the agency for tuition waiver recipients.
(2) Monitor and verify a student's compliance with the agreement and enforce loan repayment of all tuition waivers for a student who does not comply with the provisions of this section, including use of lawful collection procedures.
((c) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(d) A tuition waiver shall be for a maximum of four academic years or the completion of a bachelor's degree, whichever occurs first. ((d) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(e) (Reserved).
(f) If a student terminates enrollment in the approved course of study during the academic year or prior to completion of the approved course of study, the institution shall notify the agency in writing.
(g) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to:
(1) Change a student's eligibility for a tuition waiver if the student terminates enrollment in one approved course of study and enrolls in a different approved course of study at the same institution or another institution. ((1) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(2) Require an institution to enforce any provision of this section relating to repayment of funds for failure to comply with this section.
(h) Money reimbursed to the agency under this section shall be transferred to the system.
(i) (1) The agency shall postpone the work requirement under subsection (b)(5) for extenuating circumstances, as determined by the agency, or if the student enrolls in a higher level degree program.
(2) A student that enrolls in a higher level degree program must provide the agency with documentation showing continual status as a full-time student in order to be given a postponement by the agency under this section.
(j) ((j) deleted by amendment July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(k) A tuition waiver received by a student shall not be considered taxable income for purposes of Article III of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the "Tax Reform Code of 1971." ((k) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(l) The system shall provide assistance to the agency as necessary to administer the program.
(m) The system shall actively advertise and market the program and the Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant Program under Article XX-L to students and prominently display information about the program on the system's publicly accessible Internet website and on each institution's publicly accessible Internet website. ((m) amended July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)
(n) The agency, in consultation with the system, shall prepare and submit to the Governor, the General Assembly and the secretary an annual report detailing the operation of the program each year. The report shall, at a minimum, include:
(1) A list of the in-demand occupations for which tuition waivers may be sought.
(2) The number of tuition waiver applicants.
(3) The number of tuition waivers awarded to students.
(4) The number of tuition waivers awarded by approved course of study.
(5) The number of tuition waivers awarded by institution.
(6) The average amount of the tuition waiver.
(7) The number of tuition waiver recipients that are employed and meeting the work requirement under subsection (b)(5).
(8) The number of tuition waiver recipients that have not met the work requirement.
(9) The amount of money reimbursed to the agency by tuition waiver recipients that have not met the work requirement.
((n) amended Nov. 12, 2025, P.L.244, No.47)
(2022-A added July 17, 2024, P.L.945, No.89)