Financial Aid/Scholarships

Explore important information about financial aid options, including Federal and State Financial Aid programs. You'll also find details on scholarships for trade programs, Penn Manor-specific scholarships, and other funding opportunities to help support your education. Here is some good information on Three Types of Scholarships

Upcoming Events

Financial Aid Night
1. 1. 1. - This event is a great opportunity to learn about the financial aid process, including FAFSA, scholarships, grants, loans, and more. We look forward to seeing you there!
      - Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
      - Presentation from the event can be found here

Financial Aid Completion Sessions

These events are great opportunities to complete the FAFSA application with assistance from School Counselors and our local PHEAA representative.

1. Date: Monday November 3, 2025 Time: 11:15am or 12:15pm (please email catherine.geraghty@pennmanor.net to sign up for your preferred timeframe) Location: LGI room in PMHS

2. Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Time: 3:45pm or 5:30pm (please email catherine.geraghty@pennmanor.net to sign up for your preferred timeframe/ date of session) Location: LGI room in PMHS

Please bring the following with you for the FAFSA completion sessions:
- You will need your federal tax information, documents, returns, or W-2 forms from the prior-prior year. 2026-27 FAFSA will use your 2024 tax information. Each contributor will be required to provide consent and approval. The consent and approval will allow the IRS to import relevant tax data for most filers to their FAFSA.
- Your Federal StudentAid.gov Account
- Your Social Security number or alien registration number, if applicable
- Records of child support payments, including the total amount received for the last complete calendar year
- Current bank statements, records of stocks, bonds, 529 savings plans, and other investments
- List of colleges or career schools you want to include on your FAFSA
- A personal email address (not your school email!) Dependent students will also need their contributor’s Name and Email Address

Financial Aid Tips & Tools

Check out the 2026-27 Pennsylvania Student Aid Guide here. This guide provides a complete overview of the financial aid process, with information on most of Pennsylvania's financial aid programs and services. Find everything you need to know about paying for higher education!

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the federal form you must submit to qualify for any Federal Grants (free money) or Loans. It also connects to state forms like the PHEAA form in Pennsylvania, which is required to receive State Grants or Loans.

Why it’s important: FAFSA is essential for accessing both federal and state financial aid, making college more affordable by unlocking free money and low-interest loans. Without it, you could miss out on crucial funding for school.

PHEAA has a FAFSA Toolkit with helpful information and resources to get you started on your financial aid applications. Click here for the FAFSA Toolkit.
Get help with filling out the FAFSA with these basic tips and answers to common questions. FAFSA Tips
PA Student Aid Guide for everything you need to know about paying for higher education.

Use this Checklist to be sure you are ready and have all the information you need.
Before you complete the FAFSA you have to create an FSA ID. Click here for instructions for creating the FSA ID.
PHEAA has a YouTube channel with several informative videos. Also check out their website!
Check out The College Financial Lady Website -this page has VERY practical, easy to understand information!

FAFSA FAQ

Who counts as a Parent on the FAFSA?

A student may need to ask their parents to provide information on their FAFSA form based on the student’s dependency status. Federal Student Aid (FSA) has provided updated resources, including a new stand-alone “parent wizard” or contributor tool to help students and families determine who will need to provide contributor information on the 2026-27 FAFSA prior to starting the form.

ED recently released the revised Federal Student Aid Estimator. This tool provides an estimate of the 2026-27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and federal Pell Grant eligibility calculation for students.

There are many MYTHS about the FAFSA Please take a look at this document to help understand important facts about the FAFSA.

Facts and Myths about the FAFSA

Local Scholarships

Current scholarship information and applications can be found on Xello. Students sign in to your Xello account from the Penn Manor Speed Dial Page.

Click on the Goals and Plans tab at the top of the page and then
click on the Manage button to the right in the College Planning box.
Finally, click on the Search for Local Scholarships button to see the current scholarships.

Scholarships will be added regularly so make sure to check back often.

Penn Manor Specific Scholarships

Penn Manor Education Foundation scholarships will be available to complete online on the Kaleidoscope site for Class of 2026 in December or January.

To prepare for an efficient use of your time in applying for as many scholarships as you are eligible, we encourage you to prepare and label the following documents before beginning the application process:

Transcript
Resume
Essay

First you will complete a General Application that includes uploading your transcript, resume and essay (see prompt below). Resume should include all high school activities, community service, work, special interests/hobbies and any faith-based activities.

You will be asked if you will be pursuing any of the following list of careers:

Agriculture
Arts (Music/Theater/Visual Arts/Media Production/Writing/Communications/Library Science)
Business
Education
Healthcare
Social Studies (Political Science, Psychology)
STEM (Engineering, Computer Technology)
Tech/Trade

Once you complete the General Application, you will see scholarship applications in the career area(s) you selected. You will also be able to access scholarships the Open Career categories that apply to you by answering the following questions.

1. Have you been actively involved in serving your school or community?

2. Have you experienced adversity, family struggle or a health-related struggle?

3. Have you demonstrated leadership and been active in extra-curricular

activities?

In all PMEF scholarship applications, you will answer the following essay prompt.

PMEF Essay Prompt

So many life experiences guide and shape your perspectives and inspire your decision-making processes. In a one-page or less essay, discuss your experiences and how any of the following have impacted the choices you have made in pursuing your desired career path:

--Your participation in school, community, and/or faith-based activities

--Your personal and/or family struggles

--Your natural abilities and strengths

To be eligible for scholarships over $2,500 in the Healthcare category and Open Career Leadership/Extracurricular category, you must upload 2 teacher letters of recommendation.

Lancaster Dollars for Higher Learning

Lancaster Dollars for Higher Learning (LDHL) has been providing interest-free student loans for nearly 60 years. Their mission is to provide financial resources to Lancaster County residents in support of their post-secondary educational goals. Application opens yearly from February - April. Apply for these 0% interest $5,000 loans!

They will be coming to our Financial Aid Night on Tuesday November 4th.

CSS Profile

Filing the CSS Profile

The College Board's CSS Profile provides us with an overview of a student's finances, along with the finances of their family, and is required to be considered for need-based funding. The 2026–2027 CSS Profile can be completed online at the College Board website, and we recommend students complete it early in their search for financial aid. Please note that admission decisions may be impacted by a failure to submit the CSS Profile for those applicants who have indicated on their application that they are interested in receiving financial aid.

Learn more about filing the CSS Profile.

Does your school require the CSS Profile? If so, check it out at the following link! Give yourself plenty of time to complete this important financial aid documentation. https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/css-profile/

Trade & Work Ethic Scholarships

The Mike Rowe Work Ethic Scholarship Program and giving away another $2,500,000 in scholarships this year. We’re looking for hardworking men and women who will keep the lights on, water running, and air flowing--people who will show up early, stay late, and bust their asses to get the job done. It's not for everyone, but we know hard workers are out there. To apply for a scholarship, YOU’LL HAVE TO:

Enroll in an approved program.
Sign the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge.
Answer 4 questions about the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge.
Make a video.
Have 2 solid references from a teacher or boss.
Verify your school costs.
Provide high school or college transcript.
Send your most recent 1040 tax form.
Submit your application no later than April 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.

National Scholarships

Below is a list of websites that provide information on applying for national scholarships, offering a wealth of opportunities to help fund your education:

Fastweb: Fastweb is a national scholarship search engine that offers over 1.5 million scholarships and delivers personalized recommendations tailored to your unique profile.
Niche: Provides a comprehensive scholarship search feature as well as school reviews.
Scholarships.com: Connects students with relevant scholarships by matching them to opportunities based on their individual profiles.
College Board's BigFuture Scholarship Search: Provides a comprehensive database of scholarships along with valuable resources to guide you through the college application process.
Going Merry: This site streamlines the scholarship application process, letting you apply for numerous scholarships directly on their site.
Scholarships360: Offers a broad selection of verified scholarships and guidance to support students in their college planning.
CareerOneStop: An official resource from the U.S. Department of Labor, this site provides a dependable source for finding scholarships, grants, and additional financial aid opportunities.
Appily: Connects students with suitable scholarships and assists with the college search process.
Unigo: Offers a wide range of scholarship opportunities, including exclusive sponsored awards.
Student Scholarships: Provides scholarship information to students. Largest collection of scholarships on the web.

*Remember to also explore the websites of colleges you're interested in, as they may offer scholarships specifically for their students.

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