We are pleased to announce the availability of a Prison Education Program (PEP) Topics page in Federal Student Aid’s Knowledge Center.
The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed on Dec. 27, 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, made important changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), including the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for students incarcerated in federal or state penal institutions and students who are subject to involuntary civil commitments.
The law ties Pell Grant eligibility to enrollment in an eligible prison education program. In addition, it creates a new definition of a “prison education program” and adds specific requirements for approval, reporting, oversight, and evaluation of such programs. The provisions of the FAFSA Simplification Act that apply to confined or incarcerated individuals have an effective date of July 1, 2023.
The Topics page serves as a repository for all regulations, guidance, training, questions and answers, and other information related to implementation of PEPs for incarcerated students and will be updated as additional information is released.
To access the Prison Education Programs Topics page, click here.
Contact Information
If you have questions about the PEP approval process, please send an email to PEP@ed.gov.