Law Enforcement Education Grant Program Act of 2025

The Law Enforcement Education Grant Program Act of 2025 would add a new grant program to the Higher Education Act to encourage students to pursue careers in law enforcement or criminal justice. The Secretary of Education would award Law Enforcement Education Grants of $4,000 per year to selected law enforcement candidates (up to a total of $16,000 per candidate) who are pursuing an associate or baccalaureate degree related to law enforcement at approved eligible institutions. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and funded from general title IV funds, with explicit limits that Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loans cannot be used to support this program. Recipients must agree to a service obligation: 4 years of full-time law enforcement service within 8 years after completing their studies, with annual proof of employment. If a recipient fails to meet the service obligation, the grant funds are converted into a loan under the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan program and must be repaid with interest, subject to certain extenuating-circumstance provisions. The bill defines eligible institutions as those offering related degrees and approved by the relevant State Police Officer Standards and Training Board or equivalent state agency. It also sets eligibility criteria for applicants (enrollment in an eligible program, not yet having a related degree, pursuing coursework toward a law enforcement career) and requires a service agreement and disclosures to be part of the application. In addition, the bill repeals the University Sustainability Programs under the Higher Education Act. Overall, the proposal creates a targeted, debt-influenced path to incentivize training for future law enforcement officers, tied to a mandatory post-education service commitment.