Prison Education Programs

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 (HEA) and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), including the restoration of Pell Grant for students incarcerated in federal or state penal institutions and students who are subject to involuntary commitments. The law ties Pell Grant Eligibility to enrollment in an eligible prison education program (PEP). 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 related to incarcerated students, have an effective date of July 1, 2023. This page serves as a repository for all information, guidance, and training related to implementation of this new provision.

Federal Register Notices Including Regulations

Dear Colleague Letters and Electronic Announcements

Resources

*The Department of Education strives to make all content accessible to everyone. While these documents do not currently meet the standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Federal Student Aid is working to create accessible versions. If you need access to these documents before the accessible versions are available, please contact the Information Technology Accessibility Program Help Desk at ITAPSupport@ed.gov to help facilitate.

Last Modified: 01/05/2024 • Published: 11/01/2022