The U.S. Department of Education has issued a new Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) outlining the immediate implementation of several higher education provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)—legislation recently signed into law that makes major changes to federal student aid, loan repayment, and career education policy.
Key highlights relevant to AACS member schools:
- Simplified loan repayment options for student and parent borrowers
- Loan limit adjustments for part-time students
- Preliminary rollbacks and changes to borrower defense to repayment and closed school discharge rules set under the previous administration
- Support for short-term, career-focused programs, aligning with many AACS-member offerings
- A new Workforce Pell Grant program, set to launch next year, which could expand funding access for nontraditional and career education students
Further guidance and regulation will be released by the Department in the coming months. AACS will continue to monitor developments and provide updates and tools to help your school navigate these changes, including providing a webinar to members next month.
Read the Department’s full Dear Colleague Letter here. |
