This report from the Vera Institute of Justice examines state financial aid for incarcerated students. Incarcerated students who are unable to access federal Pell Grants may still have a variety of financial aid sources available to them on the state level, although numerous barriers to aid also exist. This report contains a comprehensive overview of barriers to accessing state financial aid faced by incarcerated students and the colleges and universities in which they seek to enroll.

By surveying state laws and financial aid policies, this report highlights the legal barriers preventing states from investing in the education of qualified students who are serving time in prison, reviews state and federal funding sources that are currently available, and suggests ways in which policymakers and education leaders can incorporate merit- and need-based state financial aid into the suite of funding sources.

In addition, the Technical Appendix provides a state-by-state detailed description of need- and merit-based aid programs available to incarcerated students, as well as programs with statutory and other barriers.

Access the report