As federal student loan limits tighten, states are expanding their own loan offerings. Consumer advocates warn these state-backed loans function more like private credit products, carrying varying interest rates, credit score requirements, and fewer federal protections, urging borrowers to proceed with caution.
A recent 9th Circuit Court ruling concludes a seven-year class-action lawsuit, Sweet v. McMahon, ensuring debt erasure for nearly half a million federal student loan borrowers defrauded by colleges. The settlement, the largest ever against the U.S. government, will provide over $23 billion in relief.
MPs accuse the government of mis-selling student loans through misleading slideshows and YouTube videos, failing to disclose that loan terms could change. A report by the Treasury select committee urges the reversal of a decision to freeze the repayment threshold, highlighting a loss of trust between graduates and the system.
Millions of federal student loan borrowers face significant changes starting July 1, including the end of the SAVE plan and new limits on graduate and Parent PLUS loans. These changes are expected to increase monthly payments for many, with some facing auto-enrollment in standard plans if they don't switch.
A federal judge in Massachusetts has blocked a Trump administration overhaul to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The judge ruled the changes overstepped the Education Department's authority and violated free speech protections, stating the program risked political retribution.
The UK plans to introduce a means-tested scheme requiring asylum seekers to repay up to £10,000 for state-funded living costs, sparking criticism from charities as unfair and impractical.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates a quarter of UK graduates, particularly those with creative or performing arts degrees, may be financially worse off after university. This report fuels ongoing debate on university funding, student loans, and the value of higher education.
The U.S. Department of Education, under a Trump administration policy, is offering eligible federal student loan borrowers a 1 percentage point interest rate reduction for enrolling in autopay by Sept. 30, 2026. This temporary relief, starting July 1, lasts until June 30, 2028, aiming to help borrowers with rising living costs.
New UK government policy requiring minimum GCSE grades for student loans could cost universities over £200m annually. This move disproportionately affects institutions reliant on students without formal qualifications, potentially narrowing access to higher education for disadvantaged learners.
England is proposing minimum grade requirements, like a GCSE English pass, for students to access government loans for higher education. This could block over 30,000 students annually, disproportionately affecting those from poorer or non-traditional backgrounds, and potentially harming universities reliant on such enrollments.
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.
