For three decades, incarcerated students haven’t been allowed to tap into federal Pell Grants, a primary form of financial aid for low- and moderate-income borrowers. But that will change come July, when new rules take effect giving them access to the grants.
Incarcerated individuals can get tripped up if they come into the criminal justice system with loan debt. These borrowers “are likely to slip into default with devastating consequences even beyond Pell Grant ineligibility,” the SPBC said in a report released Tuesday.