If you’re motivated to protect and serve, you might consider attending a police academy in your area. While it’s not the only way to become police officer (some states require you to take a civil service exam or be appointed), these programs can help you learn the fundamentals of law enforcement and get the training you need to succeed as an officer.
In many cases, you can get a job in a police department and the police department will pay for your training at a police academy. This is the route we recommend exploring first before taking out any loans to pay for police academy.
However, if your employer will not pay your policy academy tuition, or you choose to go to police academy without first getting a job. In those cases, you will have to pay on your own, student loans may be available to help you finance this cost.
In this guide:
- How much does policy academy cost?
- Can student loans be used for a police academy?
- How to apply for police academy student loans
- Police academy student loan repayment
How much does police academy cost?
The tuition costs and duration of police academies vary based on your state. For instance, to become a police officer in Massachusetts, you must attend a 20-week academy and tuition costs $3,200. This is usually paid by the police department you are employed through.
In Georgia, the police academy is 11 weeks long, and tuition is $3,093.
While time frames and tuition vary, if you pay your own fees, you can expect to pay several thousand dollars to attend a police academy.
Can student loans be used for a police academy?
If you’re enrolled in an accredited college or university at least half-time, you may be eligible for federal student loans for the police academy. Accredited universities meet certain standards for education, and enrolled students may be eligible for financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education.
You won’t be eligible for federal student loans if you aren’t enrolled at least half-time at an accredited college or university. In this case, you’d need to pursue private financing to cover your tuition costs. For instance, depending on your creditworthiness, a personal loan may be an option.
For eligible college students, federal loans for police academy are preferable to private loans, as federal loans often come with lower interest rates or better repayment terms. Your federal loan is likely to be eligible for forgiveness under the public service loan forgiveness (PSLF) program because police departments are eligible government employers.
You may use federal student loans and grants to cover the cost of police academy tuition, provided you’re enrolled at least half-time at an accredited college or university. In addition, if you are a veteran, you may be eligible for VA training programs. Check with the VA for available programs before considering a loan.
>>Read more: What can student loans be used for?
Can federal student loans be used for a police academy?
Many police academies are associated with community or junior colleges. You may use federal student loans and grants to cover the cost of police academy tuition, provided you’re enrolled at least half-time at an accredited college or university.
While loans need to be repaid, grants often don’t. To find out which federal loans or grants you could qualify for, start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
Possible federal loan and grant options include the following:
| Loan type | Financial need-based? | Total available |
| Direct Subsidized Loan | Yes | Up to $23,000 |
| Direct Unsubsidized Loan | No | Up to $31,000 (or $57,500 for dependent students) |
| Pell Grant | Yes | Up to $6,895 per year |
| Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) | Yes | $100 to $4,000 per year |
How to find out whether your police academy is accredited
The most straightforward way to determine whether your school is accredited is to search the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP). Since police academies are often associated with community or junior colleges, make sure you find out which college is associated with your police academy.
If you plan to pursue an undergraduate degree in addition to becoming a police officer, attending an accredited college or university makes sense. Doing so will help you qualify for federal aid if you’re eligible. Many police departments are requiring college degrees now, so taking this step will also help you get a job.
Can private student loans be used for a police academy?
If you aren’t eligible for federal student loans or your need exceeds the amount you get, private student loans from credit unions, banks, and other independent financial institutions are worth considering.
Lenders’ rules about how private loans can be used and who’s eligible differ. You may need to be enrolled in college to qualify, though certain lenders also offer career loans. For those enrolled in school, accreditation status may factor into whether you’re eligible for a private loan.
Here’s a look at four popular private lenders and what they offer.
College Ave
Career Student Loans
- Cover up to 100% of your cost of attendance
- Get an instant credit decision in just three minutes
- Choose from 16 different repayment schedules
College Ave offers student loans with low rates and flexible repayment terms. You can choose a fixed or variable interest rate.
You can use its career training loan to pay for police academy.
Key features:
- Loan type: Career training
- Loan limits: Up to 100% of the cost of attendance
- Variable rates (APR): 3.99% to 15.72%
- Fixed rates (APR): 3.99% to 15.82%
- Loan terms: 5, 8, 10, or 15 years
- Repayment options: Interest-only, deferred, fixed, or full principal and interest
- Application or origination fees: None
Sallie Mae
Career Training Smart Option Student Loans
- Cosigner release after 12 consecutive, on-time payments
- Up to 100% of costs are covered
- No fees
Sallie Mae offers a Smart Option Student Loan for Career Training to cover the cost of police academy.
Key features:
- Loan type: Career training
- Loan limits: Up to 100% of the cost of attendance
- Variable rates (APR): 5.00% to 15.55%
- Fixed rates (APR): 4.50% to 15.10%
- Loan terms: 10 to 15 years
- Repayment options: Interest-only, deferred, or fixed
- Application or origination fees: None
Earnest
Undergraduate Student Loans
- No fees
- Check your loan eligibility without a hard credit check
- Quick application process looks beyond your credit score
Earnest offers private student loans at competitive rates for those seeking an undergraduate degree.
The company stands out in the private student loan space for its loan repayment options, its broader method of evaluating a borrower’s eligibility beyond credit scores, and its easy-to-use mobile app.
Key features:
- Loan type: Undergraduate
- Loan limits: Up to 100% of the cost of attendance
- Variable rates (APR): 4.74% to 13.54%
- Fixed rates (APR): 4.72% to 14.20%
- Loan terms: 15 years
- Repayment options: Interest-only, deferred, fixed, or full principal and interest
- Application or origination fees: None
Ascent
Career and Professional Training Loans
- Up to 100% of costs are covered
- Check your rate without affecting your credit
- No fees on undergraduate loans
Ascent offers a Career and Professional Training Loan for students attending eligible police academies.
Key features:
- Loan type: Undergraduate degree programs and professional training and certification programs
- Loan limits: Up to 100% of the cost of attendance
- Interest rates (APR): Not disclosed
- Loan terms: 5 – 15 years for undergraduate loans; 5 – 10 years for career and professional training loans
- Repayment options: Interest-only, deferred, or fixed
- Application or origination fees: None
How to apply for police academy student loans
If you plan to apply for federal student loans or grants, you’ll need to research deadlines first. Federal, state, and individual college FAFSA deadlines can vary, and you’ll need to submit your FAFSA form by the earliest deadline.
The federal FAFSA deadline for the 2023 – 2024 school year was June 20, 2024. The FAFSA is expected to be available for the 2024-2025 school year in December of 2023.
Timelines are more flexible for private student loans, though many lenders suggest you apply about 90 days before you need your loan funds.
When completing your FAFSA form or applying for a private student loan, be prepared to disclose personal information and financial information, including the following:
- Social Security number or Alien Registration Number
- Parents’ Social Security numbers
- Past tax returns
- Proof of income
- Information about your total assets, including savings, checking, and investment balances
Police academy student loan repayment
If you qualify for a federal Direct student loan as an undergraduate and police academy participant, you are likely to be eligible for PSLF.
With PSLF, you can qualify for loan forgiveness after making 120 consecutive monthly payments. But you’ll need to be enrolled in a qualifying income-driven repayment plan and apply for PSLF to be eligible.
Private student loans aren’t eligible for student loan forgiveness. So if you took out private loans to pay for college, you’d need to repay them as agreed. Contact your loan servicer to discuss your options if you struggle to manage your monthly payments.