Minnesota Workforce Pell Resources and Information
The budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 1) that Congress passed on July 3, 2025, includes Workforce Pell legislation that expands federal Pell Grant eligibility to learners and workers who want to pursue a short-term job training program. Federal law requires the Governor, in consultation with the Workforce Development Board (GWDB) and the Department of Education (ED), to determine eligible programs that are aligned with occupations that are high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand, and are stackable, and portable across employers.
On May 19, 2026, the federal negotiated rulemaking committee released final rules and guidance on Workforce Pell. You can read that information on their website. They also released a fact sheet on Workforce Pell.
Minnesota’s Workforce Pell Program Determination Policy (2026-2027) establishes the state’s process to identify, review, and recommend short-term workforce training programs for state approval under the federal Workforce Pell Grant beginning July 1, 2026.
The policy balances three aims:
- align programs with high-skill, high-wage, in-demand occupational needs;
- ensure quality outcomes (completion, placement, and value-added earnings); and
- provide a transparent, consistent process for institutions and learners.
Interested in learning more about Minnesota's Workforce Pell program? OHE and the Governor's Workforce Development Board will hold a webinar on Wednesday, June 17 from 9:00 - 10:00 am.
Minnesota adopts the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Workforce Pell regulations by reference and will update this policy once final rules are issued. The Governor’s Workforce Development Board (GWDB) sets program determination criteria; the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) administers application review, data collection, and program approval recommendations; the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) provides labor-market data and analysis to maintain the Priority Occupations list; and the Governor certifies programs for ED review.
Participation by eligible institutions is voluntary. Under federal law, an eligible institution is a Title IV-eligible postsecondary institution offering programs that meet federal Workforce Pell requirements.
To be approved, programs must:
- Have been in operation for at least the 12-month period immediately preceding the request for program approval.
- Alignment with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations or sectors as included on the 2026-27 Workforce Pell Priority Occupations List.
- Program length and instructional hour requirements between 150-599 clock hours, 4-15 semester or trimester hours, or 6-23 quarter hours, and 8 to 14 weeks in length.
- Lead to a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable and portable (or prepares students for employment for which there is only one recognized postsecondary credential) and ensures that a student receives academic credit for at least one certificate or degree program at one or more eligible institutions.
- Meets the hiring requirements of potential employers.
- Annual program outcome data demonstrates a 70% graduation and 70% job placement rate.
- Tuition/fees must be less than Value-Added Earnings (VAE) of program completers three-years prior (beginning award year 2029-2030).
- Cannot be a correspondence course (this does not prevent distance education), study abroad, or a direct assessment program.
Submission of MN Workforce Pell data requires institutions to set up an account with the MN Office of Higher Education (OHE) for the secure transfer of student and program-level data on each of its programs submitted for approval. Participation in MN Workforce Pell is entirely voluntary. Completion of the account creation form does not obligate an institution to participate, nor does it guarantee approval of any program for Workforce Pell eligibility.
The secure data file transfer portal opens June 1, 2026. Providers must submit the MN Workforce Pell application and all required documentation by 12:00 p.m. on June 30, 2026.
Steps to apply for Workforce Pell:
- Review Minnesota’s Workforce Pell Program Determination Policy (2026-2027).
- Review 2026-2027 Workforce Pell Priority Occupations List.
- Complete the Workforce Pell Institution Account Creation Form.
- Once you have received your secured account credentials, complete and upload the following required documents to your secure folder for each academic program applying for Workforce Pell 2026-27:
- Completed MN Workforce Pell 2026-27 Attestation
- Signed Employer Validation form (three per program)
- Evidence of stackability/portability
- Data Submission Template*
Upon submission, OHE will review to confirm all required documentation is included and meets eligibility requirements. Incomplete applications will be given 10 days to correct deficiencies.
Applications deemed complete will be evaluated, and OHE will issue a recommendation to the Minnesota Governor’s Office for official certification. Institutions will receive notification via email that this recommendation has been moved forward.
Institutions who receive a denial notice may submit an appeal within 30 days. Appeals must be emailed to irl.ohe@mn.state.us and will be reviewed by a three-member review panel, who will issue a final determination.
*Institutions may not be required to complete this document if they elect to use the completion and job placement rates calculated by OHE Research when they submit their application materials. Institutions can reach out to OHE Research to preview the completion and job placement rates by contacting OHE at irl.ohe@state.mn.us.
Approved providers must submit program-level outcomes for each award year, including completion within 150% of program length, job placement at 180 days post-completion, and earnings inputs required for ED’s Value-Added Earnings calculation to OHE by the state deadline. OHE will compile and transmit certified program list and supporting data for Governor certification and ED verification. ED’s verification and approval will occur each award year.
Consistent with federal law, the Governor retains full discretion to determine that a program is not eligible for certification and may withdraw or decline certification at any time. A program’s state certification also expires upon the expiration of the eligible institution’s Program Participation Agreement (PPA). Similarly, ED may remove a program from federal Workforce Pell eligibility if it does not meet verification requirements, outcome metrics, or other federal standards.
OHE will update the public posting within 30 days of any program being removed from eligibility due to state or federal action.