Tens of thousands of Pennsylvania college students and their parents, already pressed by the recession, face a new worry as the fall semester approaches with no state budget in sight:

What happens if state grants from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency do not arrive?

Officials with the college-aid agency estimate that about 172,000 state residents are eligible for need-based grants of varying sizes for the 2009-10 academic year. However, PHEAA can neither finalize the award amounts nor disburse money to campuses on students' behalf until the state budget impasse is resolved and the agency's funding level is set.

Penn State University, the state's largest public school, intends essentially to front its students the money this fall until the PHEAA grants arrive, an official said yesterday. Though some schools are expected to do the same, some are still deciding how they will respond in a year when their coffers already are strained by the economy.

PHEAA typically dispenses grants starting in late August, and, thanks to bridge funding, was able to do so even in 2003 when the state budget was not finalized until December, spokesman Keith New said.

"There still is some time left, but we're getting awfully close," Mr. New said.

With classes just weeks away, some anxious parents have begun contacting financial aid offices.

"There are a lot of college students and parents who don't realize that when the end of the month comes, that money might not be there," said Paul Bastian of Phoenixville, Chester County.

His daughter, Heather, 19, is banking on almost $3,800 in PHEAA funds toward her sophomore year at the University of Pittsburgh.

John Fedele, a Pitt spokesman, was unable to say yesterday what Pitt will do if the PHEAA grants arrive late. However, Mr. Bastian said he was notified by the campus via e-mail that Pitt will advance the fall portion of the award and make adjustments to students' spring semester bills as necessary if the final award from PHEAA differs from the estimated award.

Schools contacted yesterday generally agreed the emphasis would be on ensuring that students can begin classes on time. But schools' ability to do that will be influenced by their own financial resources.

Last year, PHEAA used a state appropriation of $407.4 million to disburse grants to 155,000 students in amounts up to $4,120.

In May, PHEAA offered families two estimated award amounts for 2009-10 -- one based on an assumption of flat funding for the grant program and another that assumed the state would approve PHEAA's requested 5 percent boost in aid.

But with the state budget now more than a month late, PHEAA faces the possibility of a smaller appropriation.

A bridge budget enacted by the Legislature last week included $386 million for PHEAA grants, just over 5 percent less than last year, but those funds were among the items vetoed by Gov. Ed Rendell before he signed the temporary spending plan.

Rendell spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo said the Legislature's plan fell short of the $460 million that the governor wants PHEAA to receive.

For private colleges, a delay in PHEAA grants could add to cash flow problems already facing some campuses, said Don Francis, whose Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania represents nearly 90 schools.

While saying he had not surveyed the members, Mr. Francis said, "My assumption is the schools would front the students."

The State System of Higher Education said decisions are being made individually by its 14 member universities, including California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock in Western Pennsylvania.

The Community College of Allegheny County yesterday could not say how it would proceed.