Can Individuals Enrolled In Prison Education Programs Receive Title IV Credit Balances?

Award Year: 2023-24 KA-36644 Helpfulness Rating 90 page views

This guidance is specific to the 2023-24 award year and later.

No. According to PEP-Q9/A9 on the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) Prison Education Programs Questions and Answers website:

"To avoid situations where allowable costs are not included in the cost of the attendance, schools must include books, course materials, equipment, and supplies as part of institutional charges and either provide those materials directly to the individual or include the costs of books and supplies in the individual’s tuition and fees. If for some reason a credit balance is created, the school must return the Pell Grant funds associated with the credit balance to the Department and it will be credited to the student's remaining Pell eligibility."

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