Elyse Burns, 28, paid off over $75,000 in law school debt within a year of graduating by growing her art business, Elyse Breanne Design. She started selling art in 2015 and by 2020, her business was making six figures. Burns leveraged TikTok to boost her business and chose to focus on it over a legal career, ultimately paying off her loans without taking the bar exam.
UK ministers reject accusations of unfairness regarding student loan changes, arguing the heavily subsidized nature of the loans grants the government the right to alter terms. Concerns persist over rising debt and interest rates, with critics comparing the situation to mis-selling scandals.
More than 52,000 people responded to a Commons Treasury committee inquiry into student loans, with most plan 2 borrowers saying interest rates and repayment terms were unreasonable. MPs said the scale of frustration and upset among graduates was significant.
A coalition of 25 states and D.C. sued the Trump administration over new federal student loan limits, arguing they will hinder access to healthcare professions and exacerbate shortages. The Education Department defends the caps as a way to control rising tuition costs.
A coalition of 24 states and D.C. sued the Trump administration over a rule limiting federal student loans for graduate degrees in healthcare fields, arguing it will reduce access to critical professions.
Robert F. Smith's 2019 Morehouse College commencement gift of $34 million covered not only graduates' debts but also their parents', highlighting family financial burdens and educational inequality, particularly in African-American communities.
More than 600 Hongkongers aged 60 and above have defaulted on student loans under five government schemes, with the Education Bureau recording 9,838 default cases involving HK$126 million as of January 31, 2026, up from 5,134 cases worth HK$96 million in 2025.
Average student loan debt for bachelor's degree recipients has risen to $43,000, up from $40,000 last year, as college costs continue climbing about 5% annually. Around 46% of 2026 high school graduates will attend four-year colleges, with 42.8 million Americans holding $1.696 trillion in federal student loans. New federal loan limits of $257,500 take effect for borrowers after July 1.
The UK government has capped student loan interest at 6% for the 2026-27 academic year to offset inflation risks linked to the conflict in Iran. While high earners may see a slight reduction in debt growth, many lower-income borrowers will face higher interest rates than currently.
