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Higher Education Coordination Commission

Workforce Pell Grant Implementation in Oregon

The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) has developed processes for implementation of the Workforce Pell Grant in Oregon. Workforce Pell—established through Congress’s passage of H.R. 1 in 2025—expands Pell Grant eligibility to support learners enrolled in short-term, career-focused training programs that meet defined standards and lead to industry-recognized credentials.  

The federal Pell Grant program is the foundational federal need-based student aid program, and Workforce Pell is an expansion of this program for use with short-term, career-focused training programs. Here, you can find information on program approval processes for Oregon higher education institutions that are seeking program eligibility, as well as information on the policy in development for implementation of Workforce Pell for Oregon.

About Student Eligibility

The Pell Grant is a need-based program. Students and learners qualify for the Workforce Pell Grant by meeting eligibility requirements for the current traditional Pell Grant, including demonstrated financial need, as well as several unique differences summarized below. PLEASE note: the HECC does not manage Pell Grant student application processes. Students apply for federal aid such as the Workforce Pell Grant through completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the federal student aid website. Learn more about eligibility on the Federal Pell Grant web page. 

The Workforce Pell program goes into effect on July 1, 2026, but given the quick turnaround, many states across the U.S. are still in the process of preparing for the launch of this program, including Oregon. Oregonians will be able to benefit from these grants when state programs complete the process of meeting the federal requirements to become eligible. In addition, they will need to complete the FAFSA for the year they plan to attend. The federal rules for the program were made final in May 2026, and the State of Oregon, like other states, is actively implementing these program eligibility processes to prepare for individuals to receive benefits for qualifying programs​. Visit the Federal Student Aid site for more information.​


The federal Pell Grant program provides grants to students with financial need to help cover the costs of attending a postsecondary institution.  

To be eligible for the Workforce Pell expansion of the Pell Grant, a student must meet current eligibility requirements to receive a traditional Pell Grant, with some exceptions, including that a student may be eligible for a Workforce Pell Grant even if they have already received a bachelor’s degree. A student enrolled in a program that leads to a graduate credential or who has attained a graduate credential is not eligible for the Workforce Pell. A student may not receive concurrent Pell Grants for more than one eligible program at a time. Finally, learners may only use Workforce Pell Grants for programs approved by the HECC and the U.S. Department of Education. 

The exact grant amount will depend upon an eligible student’s financial need and the program they are attending. For the traditional Pell Grant for the 2026-27 award year, grants will range from $740 to $7,395. The award amounts for Workforce Pell Grants have the same maximum as the traditional Pell, but they are prorated based on program length. 

About Program Eligibility

Workforce Pell programs must be approved for eligibility before receiving Workforce Pell funds to award to students. Workforce Pell is designed for short-term, career-focused training programs lasting at least 8, but not more than 15 weeks. Some program eligibility criteria—such as whether programs are aligned with requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors/occupations—are approved initially at the state level, and others are reviewed for final approval by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The federal legislation that launches Workforce Pell gives flexibility to state governors to determine the types of programs at which learners may use Workforce Pell Grants in their states. 

The HECC is responsible for Workforce Pell program policy and approval processes for Oregon. Institutions must submit programs to the HECC for an initial set of criteria, then they apply for final approval with ED. Learn more about program eligibility and key roles below.

On May 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education announced a final rule to implement the Pell Grant provisions, and a fact sheet o​n the final rule​ is available​ on the U.S. Department of Education website​. ​​​

Learners may only use Workforce Pell grants for programs offered by an accredited Title IV-eligible institution of higher education that:

  • Are aligned with requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors/occupations*
  • Meet the hiring requirements of employers*
  • Are stackable*
  • Articulate as academic credit towards a certificate or degree program at one or more Title IV eligible institutions*
  • Are portable across more than one employer*
  • Are greater than or equal to 150 clock hours, but less than 600 clock hours; are greater than or equal to 8 weeks, but less than 15 weeks*
  • Are offered and meet all other eligibility requirements for at least 1 year prior to application*
  • Have a completion rate greater than or equal to 70 percent within 150 percent normal completion time*
  • Have a job placement rate greater than or equal to 70 percent 180 days after completion*
  • Have a program cost less than or equal to value-added earnings (value-added earnings is defined as the median earnings of program completers minus 150 percent of the federal poverty line)

*Under the Workforce Pell provisions of H.R. 1, the Governor and/or their designee, in consultation with the state workforce board, must define these program eligibility criteria to be used in approving programs to accept Workforce Pell Grants.

Programs

Oregon institutions will submit programs for approval to the HECC and then to the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Once the HECC has approved a program at the state level, the institution will submit that program to ED for final approval.  

Financial Aid Awards

Like with traditional Pell Grants, eligible institutions of higher education in Oregon will work with learners and the U.S. Department of Education to calculate and issue Workforce Pell awards. Colleges use student data from the FAFSA to officially determine financial need and the exact grant amount for which a learner qualifies. ED sends the funds directly to the institution, which applies the funds to the learner’s account for the cost of tuition, fees, and campus housing, and then issues any remaining funds to the learner to cover additional eligible costs.

Program policy and approval

The HECC has been designated by the Oregon Governor to administer Workforce Pell program policy and approval processes for Oregon. The HECC also partners with the Workforce and Talent Development Board (WTDB)​, the statewide workforce board, which advises the Governor on aspects of Workforce Pell-eligible programs in Oregon. 


When programs are approved, the HECC will make this information publicly available for Oregonians.

Oregon Program Review Process and Policy, 2026-27  

Proposed Oregon Workforce Pell Policy

Under the federal legislation, Oregon’s Governor is responsible for approving Workforce Pell-eligible programs within the state framework. Members of the public have an opportunity to review and engage with Oregon's proposed state framework for Workforce Pell. The HECC invites the public to review and share feedback on the proposed policy below.

Submit your input on the Draft Workforce Pell Policy by emailing hecc.workforcepell@hecc.oregon.gov by July 15, 2026.

Program Approval Process

The HECC is developing an online program approval portal through which institutions of higher education will submit programs to be approved by the state to accept Workforce Pell Grants. More information is coming soon. After the HECC has approved a program at the state level, the institution will submit that program to ED for final approval.  

Program Approval Process Portal - coming soon

The HECC will offer ongoing technical assistance to providers who wish to propose programs. 

  • Program Approval Technical Assistance FAQ for Institutions (coming soon)

Oregon’s List of High-Skill, High-Wage, and In-Demand Occupations  

States must certify that eligible programs are aligned with the state’s definition of high-skill, high-wage, and/or in-demand occupations. In May 2026, the HECC and the Workforce and Talent Development Board (WTBD) released the 2026 Oregon Talent Assessment, a research analysis focused on emerging trends in the economic and workforce landscape in Oregon, which includes Workforce Pell eligibility definitions described below. Details are in the full Assessment document.  

High-skill Occupation

Oregon will use the Oregon Employment Department’s existing definition of a high-skill occupation: A high-skill occupation is an occupation for which the typical entry-level education is:

  • Postsecondary training (non-degree) or higher; or
  • Apprenticeship; or
  • Work experience or long-term on-the-job-training and the education level required to be competitive in the occupation is postsecondary training (non-degree) or higher.

High-wage Occupation

Oregon will use the Oregon Employment Department’s existing definition of a high-wage occupation with an exception for occupations with strong potential for wage growth. A high-wage occupation is an occupation that:

  • Pays more than the all-occupation median wage statewide or for a particular area, or
  • Has a potential wage growth greater than the all-occupation median potential wage growth. Potential wage growth is the ratio of an occupation’s 75th percentile wage to the same occupation’s 25th percentile wage. 

In-demand Occupation

Oregon will use the Oregon Employment Department’s existing definition of an in-demand occupation with an exception for occupations that are critical to an in-demand industry. An in-demand occupation is an occupation that has projected annual openings greater than the median across occupations statewide or for a particular area.

Exception

Credentials that prepare students for an occupation that does not meet one or more of the high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand definitions, but is critical to an in-demand industry sector (defined in next section) and the competitive education requirement is postsecondary training (non-degree) or higher are eligible occupations. 

​Industry Critical: An occupation that is critical to an in-demand industry sector is one that comprises at least one percent of an in-demand industry sector’s employment and the industry sector employment in that occupation accounts for at least 30 percent of total employment in the occupation, or expert/industry input indicates the occupation's importance.

To identify in-demand sectors, the 2026 Talent Assessment​ relies primarily on lists of priority sectors produced by state and regional economic and workforce development entities and, secondarily, on a review of the characteristics of industries not covered by the preliminary list.  ​

15 in-demand industries in Oregon

  • Healthcare
  • Social Assistance/Care Economy
  • High Tech/Software/IT
  • Construction
  • Business Services
  • Forestry & Wood Products
  • Food & Beverages
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Design & Media
  • Agriculture
  • Bioscience
  • Outdoor Gear & Apparel
  • Tourism
  • Clean Energy/Climate Tech
  • Maritime/Blue Economy

Stay Engaged

In addition to the information on this page, updates on the implementation of the Workforce Pell Grant in Oregon are also provided regularly at HECC Commission meetings. Feel free to send questions to the HECC at hecc.workforcepell@hecc.oregon.gov.



 

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