The CREATE Graduates Act awards grants to states to help more students earn associate degrees by identifying those who have already completed enough credits to qualify but never received their degree. The bill requires states to locate these students, perform degree audits to verify their eligibility, and offer them earned degrees at no charge. States must direct at least 80 percent of grant funds to individual colleges and universities, which will identify eligible students, conduct outreach, remove barriers to graduation like fees, and provide tutoring or credit waivers for those needing a few more classes. The legislation also allows states to spend up to 5 percent of grants on agreements between two-year and four-year colleges to improve transfer pathways. The bill authorizes unspecified funding for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 and requires states to annually report detailed data on how many students were identified, audited, and awarded degrees, broken down by demographics.
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