Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship

To earn The Promise scholarship, students must:

1. Graduate from high school in, or before, 2028 (the class of 2028 will be the final class to receive Promise scholarships-learn more),
2. Be residents of the City of Pittsburgh, continuously, since 9th grade,
3. Graduate from a PPS high school with a minimum cumulative, unweighted grade point average of 2.50 and an attendance record of 90% or above**, and
4. Be enrolled in Pittsburgh Public Schools*, or one of its charters, continuously, since 9th grade.

* Students who live in Wilkinsburg, graduate from Pittsburgh Public Schools, and meet all other requirements are eligible to receive Promise scholarships beginning with the graduating class of 2017.

**Students from the graduating class of 2021 will receive a one-time easement of GPA and attendance requirements. For details please see the press release.

The Promise Extension Scholarship

Students who graduate from high school and meet the residency, enrollment, and attendance requirements, but have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 2.0-2.49, are eligible to enroll in The Promise Extension program. These students must use their scholarships at CCAC or a  Preferred College Partner, complete 18 credits per year, and maintain a 2.0 GPA. Those who complete a full year with an extension scholarship become fully Promise eligible and may enroll in any Pell-eligible post-secondary program in Pennsylvania.  Eligible students may enroll anytime during the 5 years following high school graduation.

The Pittsburgh Promise is committed to raising the required resources to fund students through the high school graduating class of 2028.

How do I maintain Promise eligibility once I begin college/post-secondary school?

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and complete a full-time course load as defined by the school they attend, usually 12–16 credits. Check with your school for their definition of full-time. Academic progress will be reviewed by The Promise at the end of each school year. Part-time enrollment is not funded by The Promise. Students must complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year while in post-secondary before Promise can be processed.

Can I regain scholarship eligibility if I lose it?

If you’ve failed to meet continued eligibility, you can attend school without The Promise scholarship and earn the credits and/or GPA needed to be reinstated. Sometimes students are able to utilize their Promise scholarship for summer school. The funding of summer coursework is considered annually at The Promise’s March board meeting. If approved, students may access un-used Promise funds from their current year’s Promise award, but no more than one semester of funding, to pay for covered costs.