Indiana students may soon be able to access a new federal grant program that will help pay for direct-to-workforce training at least two state colleges for the 2026-27 school year.
Indiana announced July 1 that it is opting into the federal program known as the new Workforce Pell Grants. Similar to the typical Pell Grants offered to college students who meet income standards, these new grants allow students to access shorter certificate and credential programs that aim to get them into jobs more quickly.
Gov. Mike Braun announced that Indiana is opting into the program, which was originally created through President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
Braun also approved Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University as the first two state institutions to apply for the grants through the U.S. Department of Education.
The sectors that Indiana is prioritizing with these grants include:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Building and construction
- Health and life sciences
- IT and business services
- Transportation and logistics
Braun said in a press release that this move is about increasing a homegrown talent pipeline for in-demand jobs in the state.
“From our smallest towns to our largest cities, Indiana employers need more qualified workers to keep up with demand,” said Braun in a statement. “When I was in the U.S. Senate, I helped write bipartisan legislation to expand the Federal Pell Grant in direct response to the needs of Hoosier employers and students, allowing more students to access short-term training programs, build skills quickly, and move into better‑paying jobs.”
In the first pilot year of implementation, the program is targeted at two-year state institutions, but eventually all higher education institutions will be encouraged to apply for eligibility with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The commission will then send any approved programs to the federal government for final validation.
The Indiana Department of Education expects Indiana students to be able to take advantage of the grants once the federal department approves the programs for the 2026-27 school year.
For certain programs to meet eligibility standards, they must run between 150 and 599 instructional hours, or between 8 and 14 weeks. The programs also must lead to one of the state’s recognized high-growth, high-demand job sectors.
Indiana’s programs also must demonstrate a 70% completion rate, or a 70% job-placement rate and pass a tuition-to-value-added earning test.
For some college programs across the country, though, these timing standards can mean that some training programs are either too short or too long.
In order for students to qualify for the grant they must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and "demonstrate financial need." They must also have earned a high school diploma and be enrolled in an authorized Workforce Pell program once they become available.
Contact WFYI Government Reporter Caroline Beck at cbeck@wfyi.org
