The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2025 conditions federal financial aid eligibility on colleges' participation in commercial boycotts and academic engagement. Specifically, institutions receiving federal funds under Title IV and Title VI of the Higher Education Act must annually certify that they will not participate in nonexpressive commercial boycotts of Israel (defined as a major strategic partner of the United States) and must permit their students and faculty to participate in academic programs in Israel on equal terms with other foreign countries. Colleges that fail to submit these certifications by July 31 each year will lose eligibility for federal higher education funds starting the following fiscal year, and the Department of Education must publicly list non-compliant institutions. The bill exempts actions that qualify as legitimate business decisions under existing anti-boycott laws. The legislation effectively ties billions in federal student aid and institutional funding to colleges' policies on Israel-related boycotts and academic partnerships.
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