Workforce Pell Grants expand federal financial aid to cover short-term workforce training programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage and in-demand jobs. This extension of Pell Grant eligibility to learners and workers who want to pursue short-term training was enacted by Congress through H.R. 1 of 2025. The U.S. Department of Education began accepting applications from training providers interested in using Workforce Pell in Summer 2026.
Michigan training providers must request state approval of programs as the first step to seeking eligibility for Workforce Pell funding. Federal law requires the Governor, in consultation with the Michigan Workforce Development Board, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO), and Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), to determine eligible programs before institutions apply for federal program approval. The first state program approval application closed June 15, 2026. The next application window will run from Jan. 15, 2027, to Feb. 12, 2027.
Verify the program meets basic eligibility requirements by reviewing Michigan’s FY26-27 Workforce Pell Eligible Occupation list and program eligibility requirements which include:
For a more detailed guide to vet eligibility, refer to the Workforce Pell Institutional Readiness Checklist.
For full program eligibility guidance, refer to Michigan’s Workforce Pell Policy Guidance.
For an institution and their program to be considered for Workforce Pell, the provider and the program must be registered on Michigan Training Connect (MiTC), a centralized location for students to explore training options available through the state of Michigan’s Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL).
New training providers must begin this process by registering for a MiTC provider account at MiTalent.org/MiTC and following the MiTC Application User Guide.
To add a program to MiTC for existing providers, and for more information, please review the MiTC Provider User Guide.
Providers may complete this step at any time, but for the January to February 2027 application window, applications must be submitted by Feb. 12, 2027.
MiTC does not capture all the federally mandated information required for Workforce Pell program approvals. Providers must submit a supplemental application. In addition, providers must submit evidence to validate supplemental application information via email to MiLEAP-WFPell@michigan.gov. This document provides a full view of all questions included on the application and outlines what supporting documentation must be sent via email. The supplemental application is now closed but will reopen on Jan. 15, 2027.
To demonstrate adherence to the 70% completion and job placement requirements, training providers must upload student data to MiTC. These uploads must occur between July 1, 2026, and Aug. 1, 2026, for a program to be approved within the first application window. For the second Workforce Pell state approval application window (Jan. 15, 2027, to Feb. 12, 2027), data must be uploaded by Feb. 12, 2027.
For more information, please review the MiTC Provider User Guide.
Note: More detail on the information above can be found in Michigan’s Workforce Pell Policy Guidance.
Application Window 1 (May to June 2026): The State of Michigan will review all Workforce Pell program applications submitted before June 15, 2026, and provide institutions with letters of approval or denial by August 2026. This timeline is subject to change as final rules and federal guidance are issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
Application Window 2 (January to February 2027): The State of Michigan will review all Workforce Pell program applications submitted before Feb. 12, 2027, and provide institutions with letters of approval or denial by April 1, 2027.
