Convicted felons have financial aid opportunities to help pay for college both while in prison and after being released.
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Learn more about our editorial process Lauren Ward Lauren Ward Read Full BioLauren Ward is a personal finance writer covering student loans, credit, investing, and more. In addition to writing for BestColleges, her work has been featured on a variety of platforms, including The Balance, Money Under 30, and Her Money. She liv.
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Cameren Boatner is a senior news editor at BestColleges. She's a Society of Professional Journalists award winner for her coverage of race, minorities, and Title IX. You can find her work in South Florida Gay News, MSN Money, Debt.com, the Student Pr.
Reviewed by Read Full BioR.J. Weiss is a certified financial planner who has worked with clients planning investments, insurance, income taxes, and retirement. Weiss is CEO of financial education company The Ways To Wealth, which teaches financial planning fundamentals to hu.
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Rebuilding your life after a criminal conviction can seem tough. But if you want to attend college, many options are available to help you pay for those upcoming costs.
In fact, once you're released from prison, there are very few restrictions on the types of financial aid you're eligible for, including both student loans and free money such as grants and scholarships.
So what scholarships and grants for felons are available? And how can you get them?
Yes, you can still attend college with a felony.
There are no legal restrictions that prevent you from attending college with a felony record. Every college makes its own admission decisions. A criminal history may lower your chances of getting accepted if you're aiming for a more competitive school, though.
You're more likely to get accepted into a school with a high acceptance rate, such as a community college. Once you've earned some credits, you could then transfer to a four-year university.
Qualifying for federal financial aid isn't out of the question. There are several options for getting scholarships, loans, and grants for felons, depending on the nature of the offense.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Explore all of your financial aid options to make college as accessible and affordable as possible.
The Second Chance Pell experiment provides grants for felons who are still in prison. As of July 1, 2023, all eligible incarcerated people can receive a Pell Grant, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
To get a Pell Grant, you must be enrolled in an approved prison education program. Note that the school must initiate the process for eligible incarcerated students to receive Pell Grants.
Scholarships are another way to pay for college using free money. Many scholarship programs do not exclude felons, so it's worth researching options for which you otherwise qualify.
You may also search for nonprofits that specifically offer scholarships to felons attending college.
There are two types of student loans available for college attendees: federal and private. Most felons are eligible for federal student loans once they're released from prison.
Private student loans don't have many restrictions based on criminal history. Instead, lenders want to see a consistent income, employment, and an established credit score. You could get a co-signer to help you secure a private loan.
Another option to pay for college is to get a federal work-study job. These part-time job opportunities are available as part of the FAFSA financial aid package.
Your school must participate in the Federal Work-Study Program, and jobs are usually on campus.
Determine your eligibility for student financial aid based on the type of conviction.
Eligibility restrictions on federal financial aid are removed once you're released from prison for an assault conviction.
Like assault convictions, theft convictions do not impede your ability to qualify for financial aid once you're out of prison.
Previously, a drug conviction would prevent you from receiving financial aid. New rules, however, allow felons with a drug conviction to apply for federal aid. You do have to fill out an additional worksheet, but don't let it scare you off — according to the Department of Education, it won't hurt your chances of receiving aid.
As of July 2023, students with convictions involving a forcible or nonforcible sexual offense that required an involuntary civil commitment after incarceration may qualify for Pell Grants.
Yes, most felons are eligible to receive financial aid through the FAFSA. You typically need to be out of prison to be eligible for most FAFSA programs. The exception is the Second Chance Pell experiment.
You can start applying for federal aid while still in prison since the processing period takes several months.
Felons with a conviction involving a forcible or nonforcible sexual offense were previously not eligible for financial aid if they were required to undergo an involuntary civil commitment after their prison sentence. As of July 1, 2023, however, these felons may qualify for Pell Grants.
Other convictions, including drug, assault, and theft, do not have eligibility restrictions that prevent you from applying for federal student aid.
Yes, there are two types of Pell Grants for felons. The first is the Second Chance Pell experiment that is available to people still in prison. Most formerly incarcerated individuals can also apply for traditional Pell Grants through the FAFSA.
Yes, felons are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. You must meet the following requirements to qualify:
The FAFSA does not run a background check as part of the application process. But you do need to truthfully answer questions about your criminal history. The FAFSA asks about past drug convictions while receiving financial aid, but this does not disqualify your application, nor does it impact your expected contribution amount.
If your record has been expunged, you are not required to report those convictions.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute professional financial advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Readers of this website should contact a professional advisor before making decisions about financial issues.
BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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