Experts say that making students’ federal financial aid conditional on “satisfactory academic progress” punishes students who have the fewest resources to help them complete their degree. State and federal lawmakers are working to create more student-friendly policies.
Student Economics Archive
New aid formula expected to significantly expand Pell Grant eligibility
Forthcoming changes to the federal student aid application and formula could increase the amount of Pell Grants students receive and allow nearly 220,000 more students to gain Pell Grant eligibility, according to a new report.
New federal policy aims to protect student borrowers, ban most transcript withholding
The U.S. Department of Education released regulations that restrict higher education institutions from withholding course credit, protect students enrolled in schools at risk for sudden closure, and ensure schools clearly communicate how much financial aid students will receive.
California becomes latest state to grant Mexico residents living near the border access to in-state tuition
A new California law allows binational students, many of whom were born and go to school in the U.S. but live in Mexico, to pay in-state tuition at participating community colleges.
FAFSA simplification delays leave applicants, colleges on hold
A much-anticipated redesign of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has delayed the form’s release this aid cycle, creating uncertainty for colleges, counselors, and families alike.
‘College comeback’ program forgives debts so students can finish their degree
Following a successful pilot year, the Ohio College Comeback Compact is drawing national attention for its collaborative approach to re-enrolling students who have “stranded credits”—academic credits they have earned but cannot access due to an unpaid balance.
States with aging populations pay students to stay after graduation
Facing a shortage of skilled workers, some states are implementing programs that offer to help college graduates pay off their student loans if they agree to stay and work for a set period of time.
Over 360 colleges pledge to give students clearer, more accurate financial aid offers
A coalition of higher education associations announced that hundreds of U.S. colleges and universities have committed to simplifying financial aid offers and sharing estimated net prices with students and their families.
Unmet financial need a major barrier to higher education for low-income students, students of color
A new analysis reveals that most families struggle to cover college costs, with students from low-income households and underrepresented groups facing the largest gaps between what they can afford and how much they have to pay to attend college.
The ‘August surprise’: When more outside scholarships lead to less financial aid from colleges
Students and families can be caught off guard when outside scholarships actually count against their eligibility for institutional financial aid, leaving them struggling to cover college costs they didn’t expect to shoulder.
What’s ahead for student loan forgiveness?
Hours after the Supreme Court ended the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan, President Biden announced plans for a new path to debt relief.
Stony Brook University receives $500M—largest unrestricted endowment gift to a college in U.S. history
The transformative gift from the Simons Foundation will fund student scholarships, endowed professorships, and clinical care at the university—a flagship school in the State University of New York system, widely known as an engine of social mobility.