Eligibility for TANF is limited to families with dependent children who meet certain age requirements.
Exception: A pregnant woman who is exempt from the minor parent requirements and has no children, or no children getting TANF, may apply for TANF for herself as a specified relative if:
The pregnancy and due date are verified; and
When born, the child would be eligible for TANF based on deprivation.
NOTE: Special requirements apply to an unmarried pregnant woman under age 18. See Section 110.6, Budget Groups, TANF Minor Parents.
A minor parent of any age may apply for TANF as the payment name if they are not required to be a member of another TANF budget group or if they are exempt from the minor parent requirements. See Chapter 127, Specified Relative and Chapter 110, Budget Groups.
To be eligible for TANF, a deprived child must be:
Under age 18; or
Age 18 if the child is a full-time student in secondary school or the equivalent level of a vocational or technical school.
Student means a person enrolled in and physically attending a program of study or training leading to graduation or an equivalent certificate.
School means a program of supervised education or vocational training approved by the authorities of the school district or by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Vocational training is one of the following:
A vocational training course under a federal or state program such as Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or the Road to Economic Self-Sufficiency through Employment and Training (RESET);
An organized training program sponsored by business or industrial firms with specific training objectives such as apprenticeships or training arrangements;
A program through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR); or
A program under Section 2508.3 of the School Code.
Example: A cooperative education program where a student attends school part of the day and works in a training program part of the day
An eligible student may continue to receive benefits during official vacations if he or she is expected to return to school full-time when the vacation is over.
Eligibility continues for the entire month in which the child becomes 18 or completes or discontinues full-time schooling. The student’s completion or discontinuance date is the date when school records show that the child ended full-time status. See Chapter 114, Students.
Updated August 30, 2023, Replacing July 30, 2013