Student Debt

TICAS joined a coalition of 85 other stakeholder organizations in submitting comments in response to the Education Department’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Reimagining and Improving Student Education.” The comments urge ED to protect borrowers from economic harm as the proposed rule is finalized and implemented.  

TICAS submitted comments in response to the Education Department’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, “Reimagining and Improving Student Education,” outlining a series of recommendations to improve outcomes and clarity for borrowers, simplify program administration for servicers, and help those in default successfully return their accounts to good standing.

The OBBBA made significant changes to the federal student loan system, with many of those changes likely to increase graduate students’ reliance on private student loans. In anticipation of these changes, our fact sheet offers Congress solutions to pre-emptively protect students from risky private loans.

Federal student loan default comes with severe consequences. The entire loan balance becomes immediately due, and borrowers face ongoing damage to their credit scores, along with a range of significant fees. Our fact sheet outlines reforms Congress can make to help borrowers get out and stay out of loan default.

Shifts to student loan repayment in the OBBBA have driven ongoing concerns about a looming “default cliff,” where an unprecedented number of borrowers struggle so much to repay their loans that they default on their payments in droves. Our fact sheet outlines additional reforms Congress can make to ensure the repayment system is actually affordable for all borrowers.

TICAS’ 2026 Federal Policy Agenda advises members of the 119th Congress how to make it possible for any student—regardless of their financial circumstances—to earn a high-quality postsecondary degree or credential without taking on burdensome debt.