In committee
College for All Act of 2025
Starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, this bill increases the maximum annual Federal Pell Grant to $14,790 for students at public and tribal colleges, while ensuring the grants automatically adjust for inflation each year. It allows students to use Pell Grants tax-free for living expenses, extends grant eligibility to up to seven and a half years, and opens federal student aid to Dreamers, DACA recipients, and students with temporary legal status. The legislation also doubles dedicated federal funding for historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions, alongside large budget increases for federal college-access programs.
People affected—Not determinable from the text provided; impacts millions of current and prospective college students, Pell Grant recipients, and noncitizen students meeting Dreamer/DACA/TPS criteria, but exact population counts are not specified in the bill.
Fiscal magnitude—no CBO estimate published
Reach80provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
College cost & debt+75Race-conscious policy+50Overall tax level−25
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Federal Pell Grant recipientsReceives increased maximum grant amounts (up to $14,790 at participating public and Tribal colleges, and $7,395 at other institutions, indexed to inflation), extended lifetime eligibility up to 7.5 years, permission to use funds for living expenses, and full federal income tax exemption on grant money.
- Dreamer, DACA, TPS, and DED studentsGains eligibility for federal higher education financial aid (for Dreamer students) and Federal Pell Grants (for Dreamers, DACA recipients, TPS holders, and DED beneficiaries).
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving InstitutionsReceives doubled mandatory federal funding allocations, increasing from $255 million to $510 million annually beginning in fiscal year 2026.
- Federal TRIO and GEAR UP program operators and participantsAuthorized to receive increased funding authorizations ($3 billion in fiscal year 2026 and necessary sums through 2035 for TRIO; $736 million in fiscal year 2026 and necessary sums through 2029 for GEAR UP) to support college preparation and student support services.
Who backs it
- Federal TreasuryPermanently finances the Federal Pell Grant program via mandatory appropriations of necessary sums and provides $510 million in annual mandatory funding for minority-serving institutions.