No, you don't have to wait to be released from prison to start a post-secondary education program. However, studies have shown that very few inmates finish these programs while they are incarcerated. Only two percent of inmates completed an associate degree, and only seven percent completed a certificate from a college or trade school while still in prison. While the prison system supports education opportunities and job training for incarcerated people, it has been shown that it is better to wait until after their prison release to continue their education, as they will generally have a more structured support system around them than in prison.