William Melhado
October 15, 2026
California colleges will begin launching workforce training programs eligible for Workforce Pell federal aid later this month, the California Student Aid Commission announced Thursday.
Starting Wednesday, Oct. 21, higher education institutions and career technical education providers can apply to participate in the new federal grant program, which provides adult learners with financial assistance to participate in short-term training programs.
The commission will launch a portal this month that will determine whether colleges’ “upskilling” programs, which run between eight and 15 weeks, meet state and federal eligibility requirements. The Workforce Pell program was included as part of the 2025 federal budget and tax bill. It allows students to use federal financial aid to pay for career technical education programs.
Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation creating consumer protections regarding such programs, including tuition limitations so that institutions cannot charge more than what the federal grants cover.