Pennsylvanians applying for financial assistance for college have reason to hope for more money this year.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency has run the numbers, and all signs point to grant awards going up for applicants looking for help covering the costs of college.
PHEAA says it expects the maximum grant award to be $4,363, up by more than $150 from last year.
The average grant is expected to be more than $3,000, also more than last year's average.
PHEAA spokesman Keith New said the agency expects to be able to divvy up its funding into larger pieces because fewer people are after it — the number of high school graduates is going down.
"This does bode well for Pennsylvania college students," New said. "We'll just have to wait and see what the final numbers are when the budget is passed."
Nothing's set in stone until lawmakers pass a state budget. Their deadline is June 30. Students looking for state grants, however, will have to apply by May 1.
