H.R. 2272, titled the Freeze Aid For Student Assaulters Act of 2025 (FAFSA Act of 2025), would strip federal financial aid eligibility under Title IV of the Higher Education Act from individuals convicted of certain crimes against law enforcement or during rioting. Starting with the first federal aid award year after enactment, anyone convicted of assaulting a police officer or of rioting (as defined in the bill) would lose eligibility for grants, loans (with a carve-out for a specific type described in the bill), and work-study funds. Any grants already received for the person’s current program would be converted into Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, with interest accruing from the grant date, and these converted loans would not be eligible for forgiveness or discharge. The bill also requires repayment of the total grant amounts previously received, aligning with the loan conversion rules. In short, the measure adds a criminal-offense-based eligibility exclusion for federal student aid and reclassifies past grant aid as loans that must be repaid, with no expected loan forgiveness.
Key Points
- 1Ineligibility for all Title IV federal aid after enactment for individuals convicted of (i) assault against a police officer or (ii) rioting (as defined, including inciting, organizing, promoting, participating in, or aiding a riot).
- 2Termination date: applies to the first award year that begins after enactment.
- 3Conversion of grants to loans: any grants already received for a program in which the student is enrolled at the time of the offense are converted to Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, with interest accruing from the grant date.
- 4Loan terms after conversion: these converted loans are not eligible for loan forgiveness, cancellation, discharge, or any reduction programs.
- 5Carve-out for new aid: the prohibition on new grants/loans/work aid includes a provision that appears to allow the conversion-into-loans mechanism to apply to previously received grants, but the general prohibition targets new Title IV aid excluding the specific loan described in subsection (b).