Aid and your conviction

The short answer is: yes. Any federal financial aid eligibility limitations are eliminated once a person is released from incarceration. The best way to find out what you qualify for is by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is used by federal, state, and private financial aid sources. You'll find a link in the Resources box below. 

If you are on probation or parole, living in a halfway house, or currently confined or incarcerated, 

• You may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant if you are enrolled in an approved prison education program.
• You can get a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and Federal Work Study if you qualify, although work study jobs are difficult to perform while incarcerated.
• You cannot get federal student loans.
• Drug convictions no longer affect federal aid eligibility. And as of July 1, 2023, you may still qualify for a Pell Grant if you have been incarcerated for a sex offense.