Sacramento, CA – Fire science and firefighter academy programs may experience major changes to financial accessibility as new federal aid regulations go into effect in 2026. Because many firefighter training programs operate as short-term certificates—often through specialized academies—they fall directly under several of the federal government’s updated eligibility rules.
According to federal guidance, firefighter and fire science programs that are unaccredited, non-credit, or below 150 instructional hours cannot receive federal Title IV funding. Programs between 150 and 600 hours must now meet Workforce Pell requirements, including a 70% completion rate, 70% job placement rate, and tuition that does not exceed graduates’ value-added earnings measured three years after program completion.
Beginning July 1, 2026, fire science and academy programs must also pass the federal “low earnings outcomes” test. Under this rule, programs lose Direct Loan eligibility if graduates earn the same or less than adults with only a high school diploma for two out of three measured years. Because many entry-level firefighting roles begin as part-time, reserve, or on-call positions—often paying below full-time firefighter wages—some academy programs may face difficulty meeting the federal income threshold.
Fire service leaders warn that these changes could reduce academy enrollment at a time when many communities are struggling with staffing shortages.
