Office of Student Aid : Aid Programs : Grants : Federal Pell Grant : ACG Program

The ACG is available to first and second-year students who meet the following criteria. This grant is in addition to the Federal Pell Grant and is designed to encourage students to take a rigorous high school curriculum to better prepare for college.

Eligibility Requirements

A recipient must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient.
• Be enrolled and remain at a minimum of 12 credits per semester during the first and second academic years of the program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution. Dropping below 12 credits during a semester will result in complete loss of the ACG for the enrollment period.
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student and after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student). A rigorous program of study is established by the state or local education agency and recognized by the Secretary of Education. Examples include: Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and test scores and State Scholars Initiative courses.
• Meet all other eligibility requirements for federal student financial aid. Please review your rights and responsibilities.

A first-year student can not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate degree program.

A second-year student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the end of the first academic year.

Award Values

• $750 for the first year of undergraduate study.
  • Eligibility is defined as 0 to less than 30 credits earned.
• $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study.
  • Eligibility is defined as a minimum of 30 to less than 60 credits earned.

Application

First-year and second-year students can apply for the ACG by completing (or updating) the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education notified potentially eligible students of the necessary update to the FAFSA via U.S mail or e-mail. That data is then transmitted to the University. Additionally, the Office of Student Aid is working to identify eligible students based on the data from admissions applications. Students will be notified of their potential eligibility and asked to provide appropriate documentation to the Office of Student Aid, usually a final high school transcript. Final high school transcripts should be clearly marked "For ACG Review" and mailed to:

Office of Student Aid
The Pennsylvania State University
314 Shields Building
University Park, PA 16802-1220

The University will need to document each student's "rigorous program of study" to determine eligibility for the ACG.