North Carolina opens applications for Workforce Pell, with first deadline set for July 15

Gov. Josh Stein and the NCWorks Commission announced Tuesday that applications are now open for eligible training providers seeking approval to participate in the Workforce Pell Grant program.

Established by the federal budget reconciliation bill in 2025, Workforce Pell is a historic expansion of federal Pell Grants for certain short-term workforce training programs that meet rigorous standards, including strong completion and job placement rates.

North Carolina is one of the first states to open Workforce Pell applications ahead of the program’s implementation in July. In May, the NCWorks Commission approved a policy establishing the state’s eligibility requirements and application process.

“North Carolina is attracting jobs and investment at a record pace, and Workforce Pell will help ensure our workforce is ready to seize those opportunities,” Stein said in a press release. “This new financial support for students engaged in workforce training will help ensure opportunity is built here in North Carolina.”

Applications completed by July 15 will be reviewed during the NCWorks Commission’s August meeting, with additional reviews happening on a quarterly basis.

Stein designated the NCWorks Commission, the state’s workforce development board, as the lead agency for Workforce Pell implementation, giving it the authority to determine if a program qualifies for Workforce Pell.

According to the press release, institutions interested in participating in Workforce Pell should first review their programs to determine whether they meet federal eligibility requirements. Among other things, programs must:

• Last at least eight weeks but fewer than 15 weeks,
• Align with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors, and
• Count toward academic credit for a certificate or degree program.

As part of the state’s policy, the NCWorks Commission released a list of 364 Workforce Pell-eligible occupations that meet the state’s threshold for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand, including those in health care, the skilled trades, engineering, and more.

Institutions will apply for Workforce Pell through the Eligible Training Provider (ETP) application and submit additional information required for Workforce Pell approval, including evidence of the program’s stackability and portability, program-to-credit articulation, employer validation, anticipated median wages, performance data, and more.

The press release also notes that the governor’s budget proposal would allocate more than $144,000 for a Workforce Pell Director at the N.C. Department of Commerce. If that position is funded by the General Assembly in the next state budget, the director would “support program approval processes and coordinate with education and workforce partners to expand access to approved short-term training programs,” the release says.

The NCWorks Commission will review applications quarterly. Here is the planned timeline for review in the first year of Workforce Pell:

• Applications submitted by July 15, 2026 will be reviewed on Aug. 12, 2026.
• Applications submitted by Oct. 15, 2026 will be reviewed on Nov. 18, 2026.
• Applications submitted by Jan. 15, 2027 will be reviewed in February 2027.
• Applications submitted by April 15, 2027 will be reviewed in May 2027.

Once the NCWorks Commission approves a program at the state level, institutions can submit their programs to the U.S. Department of Education for federal approval.

After programs are approved at the federal level, students will be able to use Workforce Pell Grants — accessed through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — to enroll in approved programs. Nationwide, roughly 187,000 students annually are expected to receive the grants, with average awards of roughly $2,200.

More information about the application process is available on the N.C. Department of Commerce website. Workforce Pell application office hours are available on Wednesdays from June 24 to July 15. Learn more.