Postsecondary Education Opportunities

Postsecondary education for individuals incarcerated in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) consists primarily of self-funded correspondence coursework obtained through accredited colleges and universities. Unlike the publicly funded literacy and GED programs offered directly by the Bureau, college-level education is not provided as a standard institutional service.

Federal inmates seeking to pursue associate, bachelor's, or graduate degrees must generally arrange enrollment through external correspondence programs and bear the full financial responsibility themselves or through family support.

The BOP's official policy states that the agency "facilitates post-secondary education in vocational and occupationally oriented areas" and that "some traditional college courses are available, but inmates are responsible for funding this coursework."

Correspondence programs

Several regionally accredited institutions offer print-based correspondence programs designed to accommodate incarcerated students. These programs allow students to complete coursework entirely through the mail, with examinations proctored by authorized facility staff.

Adams State University Prison Education Program (Alamosa, Colorado) is widely regarded as the leading provider of correspondence education for incarcerated students in the United States. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the program offers certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and a Master of Business Administration through print-based delivery. Tuition rates are below average compared to similar programs, and students are given extended completion windows of up to twelve months per course. The program has served thousands of incarcerated students nationwide.

Ohio University Correctional Education has offered correspondence education to incarcerated students since 1974. The program provides associate and bachelor's degree options through print-based courses. As of December 2024, Ohio University announced a partnership with Adams State University to expand educational opportunities for its correctional education students, referring new enrollments to Adams State's Prison Education Program.

Other institutions offering correspondence programs include Colorado State University, Upper Iowa University, Louisiana State University (individual courses and certificates), and several California community colleges including Coastline College and Lassen College, which enroll students from facilities nationwide. Tuition for correspondence courses typically ranges from $165 to $350 per credit hour depending on the institution, with individual courses costing between $500 and $1,000.

Funding and financial assistance

Self-funding requirements

For facilities without an approved Prison Education Program, incarcerated individuals remain responsible for all educational costs. Federal student loans are not available to incarcerated students regardless of program type. Payment arrangements vary by institution; some programs permit course-by-course payment rather than requiring full program costs upfront. Family members frequently assist with tuition payments on behalf of incarcerated relatives.

Nonprofit organizations and scholarships

Several nonprofit organizations provide scholarships and financial assistance to incarcerated students pursuing postsecondary education.

The Prison Scholar Fund (Western Washington) provides scholarships for postsecondary distance education along with mentoring and advising services. The organization focuses on helping incarcerated individuals access educational opportunities that can facilitate successful reentry.

Prison Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides scholarships to incarcerated men and women pursuing higher education. The foundation uses a performance-based scholarship model, typically awarding initial grants for a limited number of credit hours and expanding support based on academic performance. Funding comes primarily from private foundations and corporate donations.

Education Justice Project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides academic scholarships to individuals impacted by incarceration and operates a comprehensive college-in-prison program. The organization is a founding member of the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison.

Major philanthropic foundations have also invested in prison higher education. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded over $5 million in grants to organizations advancing higher education in prisons, including support for the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison and various university-based programs. The Ascendium Education Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on postsecondary access for underserved populations, has funded technical assistance initiatives and research on prison education programs. The Laughing Gull Foundation has announced over $2 million in grants specifically for higher education in prison programs, with a focus on the Southern United States.

National organizations

The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit network that supports practitioners, produces research, and advocates for expanding quality higher education in prison settings. Founded through a strategic planning process that began in 2015, the Alliance hosts the annual National Conference on Higher Education in Prison and maintains resources for colleges, correctional agencies, and students. According to a 2022 Alliance survey, approximately 600 of the nearly 5,000 state and federal prisons and local jails in the United States have higher education programs.

The Vera Institute of Justice has played a significant role in supporting prison education since the inception of Second Chance Pell, providing technical assistance to participating colleges and corrections departments. Vera publishes research on program outcomes and advocates for policies that expand educational access for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.

Historical context

Pell Grant eligibility and the 1994 Crime Bill

From 1965 until 1994, incarcerated individuals were eligible to receive federal Pell Grants under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. This funding supported a substantial expansion of prison education programs nationwide. By the early 1990s, an estimated 772 college-in-prison programs operated across approximately 1,287 correctional facilities in the United States, with roughly 27,000 incarcerated students receiving Pell Grants during the 1993–94 academic year.

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly known as the "Crime Bill," eliminated Pell Grant eligibility for all individuals incarcerated in state and federal prisons. Despite the fact that grants to incarcerated students constituted less than one percent of total Pell disbursements—approximately $35 million out of a $6 billion program—the provision was enacted amid broader "tough on crime" political sentiments of the era. A Government Accountability Office report from that period found that grants to incarcerated students did not affect grants awarded to other eligible applicants.

The consequences of the ban were immediate and severe. By 1997, the number of college-in-prison programs in the United States had collapsed from over 770 to an estimated eight programs nationwide. State legislatures followed the federal lead by rescinding state-level tuition assistance programs. The remaining programs that survived depended entirely on private philanthropy, volunteer instruction, and out-of-pocket payments from incarcerated individuals and their families.

Second Chance Pell and subsequent restoration

In 2015, the Obama administration announced the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, a pilot program that temporarily restored Pell Grant access to a limited number of approved colleges operating programs within correctional facilities. The initiative began with 67 participating institutions in 2016 and eventually expanded to include more than 160 colleges across 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Between 2016 and 2022, more than 40,000 incarcerated students enrolled in postsecondary education through the Second Chance Pell program, earning approximately 12,000 credentials including associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and certificates.

Full restoration of Pell Grant eligibility came through the FAFSA Simplification Act, signed into law in December 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The law took effect on July 1, 2023, ending the nearly 30-year prohibition on federal financial aid for incarcerated students. Under the restored eligibility, students must enroll in a Department of Education-approved Prison Education Program (PEP) offered by a public or nonprofit institution to access Pell funds. The Vera Institute of Justice estimates that approximately 760,000 incarcerated individuals are now potentially eligible for Pell Grants.

Current status of federal postsecondary programming

Despite the restoration of Pell eligibility, the development of approved Prison Education Programs within the Federal Bureau of Prisons has proceeded gradually. As of September 2024, Illinois Central College became the first institution to receive Department of Education approval for a PEP at a federal facility, specifically at FCI Pekin in Illinois. The BOP continues to work with colleges and universities to establish additional Pell-eligible programs, building on its Second Chance Pell partnerships that operated at 14 facilities and awarded 265 associate degrees, 16 bachelor's degrees, and 18 certificates.

For the majority of federal inmates, postsecondary education remains accessible only through self-funded correspondence courses. Enrollment in such programs requires authorization from the facility's Education Department, typically through the College Coordinator. Students or their families must pay all tuition, fees, and textbook costs directly to the educational institution. Internet-based instruction is generally prohibited due to security restrictions, limiting options to print-based correspondence formats that rely on postal mail for all communication between students and instructors.

Research on effectiveness

A 2013 meta-analysis conducted by the RAND Corporation, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, examined the effectiveness of correctional education programs. The study found that inmates who participated in educational programs had 43 percent lower odds of recidivating than those who did not, translating to a reduction in the risk of returning to prison of 13 percentage points. Employment rates after release were 13 percent higher among participants in academic or vocational programs, with vocational training specifically associated with a 28 percent increase in the likelihood of post-release employment.

The RAND study also concluded that correctional education is cost-effective. Researchers estimated that for every dollar invested in prison education programs, incarceration costs are reduced by four to five dollars during the first three years following release. These findings were cited by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education in support of the Second Chance Pell initiative and have informed subsequent policy discussions around restoring educational access for incarcerated populations.

Separate research published by the Vera Institute found that people who participate in college-in-prison programs are 48 percent less likely to recidivate than those who do not, and that correctional facilities with college programs report reduced incidents of violence.

Limitations and challenges

Several barriers continue to limit postsecondary educational opportunities for federal inmates. Security restrictions prohibit internet access at most facilities, eliminating the possibility of online coursework that has expanded access for students outside the correctional system. The administrative process for approving Prison Education Programs under the restored Pell eligibility involves multiple approval steps from accrediting agencies, oversight entities, and the Department of Education, which has slowed the rollout of new Pell-eligible programs.

Geographic disparities also affect access. Facilities in remote locations may have fewer partnership opportunities with nearby colleges, and correspondence remains the only practical option for many students. The cost of correspondence education, while lower than traditional campus tuition, remains prohibitive for many incarcerated individuals who earn minimal wages through prison work assignments. Some states continue to maintain additional restrictions on state-level tuition assistance programs for incarcerated students even after federal Pell restoration.