Eligibility — The Pittsburgh Promise

To earn The Promise scholarship, students must:

Graduate from high school in, or before, 2028 (the class of 2028 will be the final class to receive Promise scholarships-learn more),

Be residents of the City of Pittsburgh, continuously, since 9th grade,

Be enrolled in Pittsburgh Public Schools*, or one of its charters, continuously, since 9th grade, and

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.

* 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.

The Promise Extension Program

Students who meet all Promise requirements, but graduate high school with an unweighted GPA of 2.0-2.49, are eligible to access the scholarship through The Promise Extension Program. Through the Extension Program, students receive one year of Promise scholarship funding and may attend:

CCAC (Community College of Allegheny County)

a Promise Preferred College Partner institution

any trade, technical, or specialty program at a Pell-accepting institution (e.g. cosmetology, HVAC, CDL) in PA

Students must earn a 2.0 GPA and 18+ credits during their Extension Program year. Successful students may then enroll at any Pell-eligible post-secondary program in Pennsylvania. Unsuccessful students become permanently ineligible for Pittsburgh Promise funding, unless they are approved for a Promise Extension Appeal (contact info@pittsburghpromise.org for details). Students may enroll in the Extension Program anytime during the five 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.

Promise Eligible High Schools

Environmental Charter School
Pittsburgh Allderdice
Pittsburgh Brashear
Pittsburgh CAPA
Pittsburgh Carrick
City High Charter High School
Passport Academy Charter School
Pittsburgh Milliones (UPrep)

Pittsburgh Obama
Pittsburgh Perry
Pittsburgh Sci-Tech Academy
Pittsburgh Westinghouse
The Academy Charter High School
Urban Pathways Charter High School
Pittsburgh Online Academy*

Eligibility FAQs

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

Maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA
Maintain full-time status, as defined by your school (usually 12-16 credits per term, but check with your school for their definition of full-time)
- Part-time enrollment is NOT funded by The Promise
Academic progress is reviewed by The Promise at the end of each academic year
A completed FAFSA is required each year

Can I regain scholarship eligibility if I lose it?

You may take summer courses to meet Promise eligibility requirements.
You may attend school without The Promise scholarship and earn the credits and/or GPA needed to be reinstated.
You may also submit an Appeal in your Pittsburgh Promise portal (see Promise Appeals section below).

Promise Appeals

If you’ve failed to meet one or more Promise requirement, either during high school or in post-secondary, you may submit an appeal for scholarship consideration.
To submit an appeal, log into your Pittsburgh Promise portal. Click the “Appeals” tab. Click “Add Appeal”. In the text box, share with us your story and how you plan to meet the scholarship’s criteria, moving forward.
Appeals are reviewed on a rolling basis and typically take 1-2 weeks to review.
Contact Info@pittsburghpromise.org for more information.

What if I go to school out-of-state?

Students who choose an out-of-state institution cannot use Promise funding at their chosen school.
However, out-of-state students are encouraged to access their Promise funding for summer classes at in-state institutions. Contact Info@pittsburghpromise.org for more information.

Common eligibility questions for students with IEPs and 504 plans

The Pittsburgh Promise is committed to establishing resources and programs to ensure that the scholarship remains accessible to all students of all abilities, without exception.

What if my high school attendance record is below the 90% requirement?

The 90% attendance requirement does not include excused absences for illness. If you have an exceptionality, work with your Transition Counselor (students with IEPs) or Guidance Counselor (students with 504 Plans) to make certain your attendance is properly recorded. Only unexcused absences count against Promise eligibility. Attendance is reported on report cards.

What if I’ve had an interruption in my enrollment due to my exceptionality?

The Promise has a compassion appeal process to review exceptions to the enrollment requirement. Students need to log into their Promise Portal to submit an appeal to The Promise explaining the reason for the interruption in enrollment when the student applies for the scholarship in their senior year of high school.

What if I do not achieve the required 2.5 GPA or am not graded on a traditional 4.0 scale?

Pittsburgh Public Schools is responsible for reporting academic information to The Promise for each student. Your Transition Counselor (for students with IEPs) or your Guidance Counselor (for students with 504 Plans) will work with your school to determine your academic progress and translate it for Promise eligibility purposes.