New Economy Technology Scholarship (NETS) Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions:
- Will GED and homeschooled students be eligible for NETS awards?
- Must a current year NETS recipient reapply for subsequent years?
- Since an applicant must file for Federal Pell and State Grants, which are need-based, is the NETS award need-based?
- If a student receives NETS funds, and his parents move out-of-state, is the student no longer considered a Pennsylvania resident for purposes of this scholarship?
- Can an applicant appeal an Agency decision on NETS eligibility?
- Are there any exceptions to the 3.0 grade point average (GPA) requirement for postsecondary study?
- Can a student receive NETS funds during a term of internship or co-op?
- Where can the New Economy Technology Scholarship (NETS) application be obtained?
Approved Programs:
- Have there been any changes to the approved list of programs for the current academic year?
- If a student is in an approved course of study, receives NETS funds, then changes to another approved course of study, does the amount awarded still remain a scholarship (and not convert to a loan)?
- If a student enrolled in an approved major decides to enter Teaching (in the major field) as a profession, does this meet the employment obligation? Does student teaching in the major field meet the internship requirement for SciTech Scholarship recipients?
- Why is Nursing not an approved program of study for the NETS Program?
Internships:
- If a SciTech student is in an approved major, completes a work experience/internship, and then applies for the NETS Program, can that work experience meet the internship requirement of the program? Would an internship in another major field qualify?
- Internship guidelines indicate that a SciTech work experience/internship must be incorporated into the degree curriculum. What, specifically, does this mean? Do they have to show on a transcript?
- The SciTech work experience/internship guidelines indicate that the student's institution can determine the length of the work experience. Is there a minimum time frame? How many weeks?
- The SciTech work experience/internship guidelines indicate that the supervision of the educational and work-related experiences will be the responsibility of the institution and the academic department. Is there a form which can be completed by the supervisor of the work experience?
- The SciTech work experience/internship guidelines state that internships may include co-op or work experience programs. Can a well-defined state or institutional student employment position on campus or off-campus qualify? Do work experiences with state or local government qualify?
- Does a work experience that is performed in another state fulfill the internship requirement?
- If a student completed a work experience in their major without school involvement, what steps should be taken to have it approved for the SciTech internship requirement?
School Certification:
- What is the grade point average (GPA) requirement for NETS recipients?
- How is a student's cumulative GPA calculated if he/she attends one institution and then transfers to another institution?
Employment Obligation:
- Does employment have to be directly related to my major in order to fulfill the employment obligation of the New Economy Technology Program?
- NETS recipients must work one year for each year of NETS funds that were received. How is the work obligation computed?
- Must a NETS recipient live in Pennsylvania during their work obligation?
- May a NETS recipient continue their studies (in graduate school, for example) before working for a Pennsylvania company?
- May a Technology Scholarship recipient continue their studies toward a baccalaureate degree and receive SciTech Scholarship funds before working for a Pennsylvania firm?
- Are there exceptions to the 12-month period for finding work after graduation?
General Questions:
Yes.
- A GED or homeschooled student will be eligible to apply for NETS. A recipient must be a high school graduate.
- Diplomas issued by correspondence schools, distance learning, or the U.S. Military are not acceptable; such students must obtain a GED.
2. Must a current year NETS recipient reapply for subsequent years?
No. A renewal student must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the new year by September 30th of the year in question. However, renewal students who received NETS funds in the previous year will be automatically considered and do not need to file a NETS Application and Master Promissory Note.
No. Although the State Grant and Federal Pell Grant are subtracted from the student's total educational costs to determine the amount of the NETS award (see educational cost details below), the award is not need-based. The student does not have to be eligible for either a State Grant or Federal Pell Grant in order to be eligible for NETS funds. In addition, no income or asset data is used in determining eligibility for funds in the NETS program.
Components of educational costs:
Academic year full-time enrollment: tuition, fees, room board and a $1,000 book allowance.
Part-time enrollment: tuition and fees
The student retains eligibility as long as he/she remains a Pennsylvania resident. This differs from the Pennsylvania State Grant domicile guidelines.
5. Can an applicant appeal an Agency decision on NETS eligibility?
Yes, a student wishing to appeal denial of NETS eligibility should write a letter explaining in detail why they think an exception to Agency policy should be made in their case. The letter should include the student's name, address, social security number or account number and the student's signature. The letter should be sent within sixty (60) days of the date the student receives the denial notice.
PHEAA
New Economy Technology Scholarship Program
State Grant and Special Programs
1200 North Seventh Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102-1444
There are no exceptions to this requirement.
7. Can a student receive NETS funds during a term of internship or co-op?
NETS recipients who are participating in an internship, work experience or co-op activity for a term (regardless of whether this activity will be used to meet the SciTech internship requirement) are eligible for the NETS award for only those terms during which the student will earn full credit toward the student's academic credential. SciTech recipients must be enrolled on a full-time basis.
8. Where can the New Economy Technology Scholarship (NETS) application be obtained?
Applications are available on/from:
- PHEAA’s website (www.pheaa.org)
- State Grant and Special Programs, 1200 North Seventh Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102-1444
- Regional Directors
- Secondary schools
- Postsecondary schools
If a student is at least 18 years of age, the NETS Application and Master Promissory Note can be electronically signed.
Approved Programs:
9. Have there been any changes to the approved list of programs for the current academic year?
For the 2007-08 academic year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) added several Allied Health fields for Technology Scholarship recipients ONLY. Please review the list of approved programs which is located in the NETS Application and Master Promissory Note and in the NETS Program brochure.
Yes. The student should ensure that the new course of study is approved for NETS funds (on the approved list) before the change takes place so that eligibility will be maintained. A change to a non-approved major will result in conversion of all NETS funds received to a repayable loan.
Yes. Teaching in the approved major does meet the post graduation work requirement and student teaching can fulfill the internship requirement for these students. However, a major in Education is not an approved program of study for SciTech funds.
12. Why is Nursing not an approved program of study for the NETS Program?
At Program inception, nursing was perceived as not in keeping with the primary intent of the Program which focuses on technology.
Internships:
Yes. A work experience completed prior to application for the NETS Program can serve as meeting the internship requirement provided it meets the internship guidelines. If a student completes an internship in a qualifying major and then changes to another approved major, another internship in the new major is not required.
- The work experience/internship should pertain to the student's academic and career areas of interest, be related to the major program of study for which the student is receiving SciTech funds and be approved by the institution.
- When the student completes the required work experience/internship, the school will report this to the Agency.
- Work experiences/internships may be performed during Summer and other vacation periods but must be completed prior to receiving a degree.
NOTE: Although an internship may be related to the student's major, the same internship/work experience may not meet the NETS Employment guidelines associated with the work obligation.
The length of the work experience/internship should be determined jointly by the employer and the institution.
Each institution has the flexibility to establish their own forms/guidelines related to the internship. The financial aid administrator at the school must report completion of the internship requirement to the Agency. The Agency has provided an optional form to the schools for this purpose.
A work-study job (a job on or off campus which is part of the student's financial aid package from the school) can fulfill the work experience/internship requirement if it meets the Program guidelines and the guidelines of the institution. The following can be included in the work experience/internship if they meet the Program guidelines of the institution:
- A work study job (on or off campus that is part of the student's financial aid package)
- Payment/academic credit for the work experience/internship
- Work experience for a state or local government
18. Does a work experience that is performed in another state fulfill the internship requirement?
A work experience that is performed in another state can fulfill the internship requirement if it is with a company or firm that has operations in Pennsylvania. All internships must be approved by the postsecondary institution.
School Certification:
The school must approve the work experience/internship. You may wish to print a copy of the SciTech Internship Guidelines on PHEAA’s Website and provide it to your academic advisor and ask for their assistance. Once an official at your school has approved your work experience, the financial aid office at your school must be notified so that it can be reported to PHEAA.
20. What is the grade point average (GPA) requirement for NETS recipients?
First-time SciTech recipients must have a cumulative postsecondary GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of application to the NETS Program, and all recipients (SciTech and Technology Scholarships) must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 to continue to receive NETS funds. The student’s cumulative GPA will be checked on an annual basis (at the end of the Spring term) by the postsecondary school.
The GPA is verified according to the school’s policy in calculating the cumulative GPA. While credits may transfer to the new institution, generally, grades do not.
Employment Obligation:
NETS recipients must begin qualified employment in Pennsylvania within twelve months of completing their program of study, and the employment must be in a field related to a program approved for the NETS Program. The following are common fields of employment that are not eligible to meet the employment obligation:
Biology and Chemistry majors - Employment in certain medical fields may not fulfill the employment obligation.
Education majors - While teaching is an approved field of employment, the major must be in the secondary field, not education.- For example, a Chemistry teacher must major in Chemistry, not Education.
Recipients must work full-time for 12 months for each academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarter terms) of full-time NETS funds received. Each full-time semester award carries a 6-month work obligation and each full-time quarter award carries a 4-month work obligation. Funds received for part-time terms require proportionally less employment.
Some examples:
- Full-time student receives a SciTech Scholarship for Fall and Spring (an academic year) plus the following Summer (semester) term. Work obligation is 12 months for the academic year funds received plus 6 months for the Summer term funds received for a total of 18 months.
- Full-time student receives a Technology Scholarship for Fall, Winter and Spring (an academic year) plus the following Summer (quarter) term. Work obligation is 12 months for the academic year funds received plus 4 months for the Summer term funds received for a total of 16 months.
- Student receives NETS funds for 6 full-time quarter terms (two academic years) plus a half-time Summer quarter. Work obligation is 24 months for the funds received for the 6 quarters plus 2 months for the half-time Summer term for a total of 26 months.
NETS recipients are required to begin employment within one year of completion of undergraduate studies in a field related to their NETS program of study. However, students who pursue graduate studies may obtain a deferment of the employment obligation if they begin full-time graduate study within one year of receiving their baccalaureate degree. Graduate study deferment may extend to 6 years of continuous graduate school enrollment.
25. Must a NETS recipient live in Pennsylvania during their work obligation?
No. Although your job location must be in Pennsylvania, you are not required to live in Pennsylvania while fulfilling the work obligation.
Yes. A student may receive Technology Scholarship funds while enrolled in a program of less than four years in length and then receive SciTech Scholarship funds for enrollment in a baccalaureate degree program. The Program guidelines require that the student be employed within one year of completion of undergraduate studies.
27. Are there exceptions to the 12-month period for finding work after graduation?
If a thorough, consistent effort has been made to find qualifying work during the 12-month period following graduation, the student should explain their situation in writing to PHEAA.