Most colleges and universities help millions of Americans earn a degree or diploma to lead to economic security and a better life. In the wake of the Great Recession, it was revealed that too many for-profit colleges -- by enrolling hundreds of thousands of students -- sought to take advantage of the federal financial aid system to make windfall…

Despite the availability of income-driven repayment (IDR) plans--and significant improvements to program design and generosity over time--too many federal student loan borrowers?continue to struggle with repayment. Many struggling borrowers never enroll in an IDR plan; even for some who do,?income-based monthly payments can?still be too high.…

This is the technical documentation for the report, "How the College Cost Reduction Act Could Threaten the Teacher Pipeline." The College Cost Reduction Act would overhaul the Higher Education Act, making changes to student borrowing and repayment, borrower protections, college oversight, postsecondary data, and more. The bill includes a…

The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is New York's primary aid program, accounting for 80 percent of state financial aid awards to students attending public, private non-profit, and for-profit higher education institutions in the state. TAP is available to students attending two-year or four-year degree granting programs as well as students…

The higher education to workforce pipeline is crucial for our country's economic growth and longevity. However, almost half of students who enroll in college fall off and never complete. The outcomes are even starker for students from low-income backgrounds who face high levels of unmet needs and barriers to completion while in school. Ensuring…

Five years after our 2019 analysis of student borrowing rates across the University of California (UC) system, TICAS partnered with the University of California Student Association (UCSA) again to evaluate the state of affordability and student debt for undergraduates at the UC, and their implications for student success. While our analysis finds…

TICAS' 2025 Federal Policy Agenda advises members of the 119th Congress on how to strengthen the nation's higher education system to ensure a college degree is both accessible and affordable. Our higher education system faces extensive challenges, but a postsecondary credential remains the most reliable path to economic mobility, and the economy…

Current formulas for awarding federal student financial aid are based primarily on income and don't fully account for wealth inequality, especially by race. Students from low-income and low-wealth families--who are disproportionately Black and Latine--often have to take out more student loans to attend college. Inevitably, without family wealth to…

This brief examines how specific college affordability policies and practices at the federal, state, and institutional levels can be strengthened to close racial equity gaps in college affordability and completion and to support widespread diversity and representation in higher education. By increasing access to financial aid and shifting the way…

This brief illustrates that while many borrowers in IDR [income-driven repayment] will repay their loans in full, those who do receive a discharge of remaining debt after 20 or 25 years of responsible payments may face an unaffordable tax liability because these discharged amounts are treated as taxable income under current law.

The College Cost Reduction Act would overhaul the Higher Education Act, making changes to student borrowing and repayment, borrower protections, college oversight, postsecondary data, and more. The bill includes a new proposed risk-sharing model that would require colleges to repay the federal government for a calculated proportion of their…

A collaboration between The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), this policy brief examines the costs of attending California Community Colleges (CCCs) for low-income students and the roles that financial aid resources, work hours, and student loan borrowing currently…

Recent higher education investments in Michigan have prompted the authors to revisit the reality of college affordability in the state, so that policymakers and stakeholders can monitor the impact of investments moving forward. While MI has lowered the net cost of a postsecondary education, a college credential still remains out of reach for many…

This brief reviews the details of major proposals from policy makers and policy organizations to streamline and reform income-driven repayment of federal student loans. The brief identifies encouraging consensus on a number of important details, as well as some areas of remaining divergence.

The Cal State Student Association (CSSA) and The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) examine trends in college affordability for California State University (CSU) bachelor's degree recipients compared to its original analysis published six years ago. This new report finds that in 2021-2022, nearly two in three CSU bachelor's degree…