Starting a Prison Education Program
Prison Education Programs (PEPs) require pre-approval before any federal financial aid can be administered. The Department of Education application is filed via the E-App, and requires supportive documentation from both the correctional oversight entity and the applicable accreditor. Both public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education can apply, but proprietary institutions are not eligible. Programs can be delivered in a variety of modalities and student participation is not restricted by sentence type.
The following resources will help you start a PEP:
- GEN-24-118 September 30, 2024: Revised Instruction for Applying for Prison Education Programs
- Is There an Application to Participate in a Prison Education Program?
- Must a School Report a Prison Education Program as an Additional Location?
- How Is "Confined Or Incarcerated Individual" Defined for a Prison Education Program (PEP)?
- GEN-23-52 Instructions for Applying for Prison Education Programs
- PEP Application Form
- Application for Approval to Participate in the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (E-App)
- Federal Register: Pell Grants for Prison Education Programs
- PEP Fact Sheet: Program Approval Process
- PEP Fact Sheet: Accreditation Requirements
- PEP Questions and Answers
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