The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) was created by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1963 to provide affordable access to higher education for PA students and families. Through the years, PHEAA has evolved into one of the nation’s leading providers of student financial aid services, including the Commonwealth’s state-based student loan program—PA Forward. PHEAA also serves millions of students through guaranty, servicing, financial aid processing, and other programs.

PHEAA’s earnings are used to support the Agency’s public service mission and to pay operating costs, including the administration of the PA State Grant Program and other state-funded student aid programs. This contribution from PHEAA saves the Commonwealth millions of dollars each year. PHEAA continues to devote energy, resources, and imagination to developing innovative ways to ease the financial burden of higher education for students, families, schools, and taxpayers.

PHEAA conducts student loan servicing operations nationally as American Education Services (AES).