Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2025

Summary

Requires colleges that receive federal student aid or Title VI program funds to make annual certifications about their commercial and academic relationships with certain foreign “major strategic partners.” Institutions must certify they will not carry out nonexpressive commercial boycotts of those partners and must allow students and faculty from and to those partners to participate in academic programs on the same terms as other foreign partners. Failure to submit required certifications by July 31 leads to public listing and potential loss of Title IV or Title VI funding.

• Colleges receiving Title IV funds must annually certify they will not carry out nonexpressive commercial boycotts of defined "major strategic partners."
• Title VI institutions must certify they will allow student and faculty exchanges with those partners on equal terms as other foreign partners.
• Certifications are due by July 31 each year; the Department of Education will publish a list of institutions that fail to certify within 7 business days after that date.
• Failure to submit the Title VI certification by July 31 makes the institution ineligible for Title VI funds in the following fiscal year, including prior-year grant funds.
• Definitions tie "major strategic partner" to countries described in an existing federal law and exclude certain actions covered by Anti-Boycott Act exceptions.
• Compliance is added as a requirement in the Title IV program participation agreement for institutions.
• No new funding is appropriated; enforcement is administrative (publication of non-filers and funding ineligibility).
• The bill includes a nonbinding statement that limiting cooperation with those partners harms U.S. security and economic interests.