The U.S. Department of Education issued the final rule for Workforce Pell, a new federal financial aid program that allows students to use Pell Grants for short-term workforce training credentials beginning July 1, 2026. The regulation implements a major shift from traditional degree-only Pell eligibility. The program is designed around short-term certificate programs of eight to 15 weeks that can lead to credentials in high-demand occupations, offered through eligible colleges and universities. The change includes an operational one-year program requirement before the Secretary can determine eligibility. For colleges and system leaders, the immediate work is compliance readiness—auditing program structures, outcome reporting, and platform infrastructure—because the first funding cycle begins with a tight runway.