PELL GRANTS FOR THE INCARCERATED

I’ve had several letters asking about Pell Grants.  It’s taken a while to figure this out, but here goes.

Studies indicate returning citizens with higher education earn more money, recidivate less, and have a higher standard of living than those who don’t have a college degree. 

In brief, while access to Pell grants was reinstated for people in prison in July 2023, individuals cannot apply to receive this funding directly. Rather, you must be enrolled in an approved Prison Education Program (PEP) from an accredited school that is also enrolled in the program. Access to Pell Grants is dependent on the presence of a college program in your facility. 

The good news is that there are, to date, 465 institutions that have approved PEPs nationally, and more coming on board every month. If you don’t already have a school in your facility, to find a school you will need someone, or your facilities’ Education Officer, to check this national directory online:

https://www.higheredinprison.org/national-directory/academic-institutions.

Once you find a school that can offer a PEP in your institution, the school would then help you fill out the required forms. If approved, the school would receive the Pell funds to cover tuition and books, instead of you receiving it directly. 

I hope this helps, and that lots of you take advantage of this opportunity while it’s still available. 

© 2023 Pelshaw Group, Inc. Used with permission.

Ask Bob is an advice column by Bob Pelshaw, formerly incarcerated citizen, successful entrepreneur, speaker, and author of the award winning Illegal to Legal: Business Success for the (Formerly) Incarcerated. and the Reentry Success Series (Books and workbook available on Amazon). Bob also provides content to tablets through Edovo, ViaPath, PayTel, to name a few, and jails and prisons nationally.

Ask Bob answers questions about life, successful re-entry, starting a business and entrepreneurship, and most anything that adds value, except the column does not cover legal issues, sentencing matters, or case issues. To ask Bob a question, write to him at:

ASK BOB 

c/o Pelshaw Group, Inc., PO Box 460671, Papillion, NE 68046