The Latest Student Loan News: What Borrowers Need to Know

Starting on July 1, 2026, the Education Department (ED) is rolling out major changes to the federal student loan…

Our new fact sheet outlines how policymakers can strengthen and expand the Pell program. the federal government’s most effective investment in college affordability, but the share of college costs covered by the grant is at an all-time low.

This fact sheet explains how the Pell Grant program is funded, how its funding structure puts students at risk, and how Congress can make changes to ensure the future viability of this essential program.  

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.