Federal lawmakers and the Department of Education have been active this week, advancing proposals that could reshape how students understand college costs, borrow for graduate programs, and get student loan forgiveness. From new financial aid disclosure bills to ongoing delays in student loan processing, these developments have real consequences for students and families planning to attend college or manage debt.
Here’s a quick look at the most important stories shaping higher education and student finances this week on December 19, 2025.
🎓 Top headlines at a glance
- The House committee proposes uniform letters for financial aid awards
- New proposal for a centralized net price calculator.
- Lawmakers push back on Department of Education limits affecting nursing students.
- Student loan backlog remains high despite recent progress.
1. The College Financial Aid Clarification Act was introduced in the House of Representatives
the College Financial Aid Clarity Act (H.R. 6502) It was introduced in the House of Representatives this week, aiming to improve how colleges communicate financial aid eligibility and expected costs to students before they enroll. The bill would require institutions to use a federally designed financial aid award letter — which would be a significant improvement to the myriad of financial aid award letters currently in use.
Supporters say current grant letters often obscure true costs, making it difficult for families to compare offers or understand borrowing needs. Here’s our guide on how to read a financial aid award, so you can see how confusing it can be.
➡️ impact: Clearer disclosure of financial aid awards can reduce borrowing surprises and help families avoid committing to colleges they can’t realistically afford.
2. The Student Financial Clarity Act of 2025 targets cost transparency
Companion bill, and Student Financial Clarity Act of 2025 (H.R. 6498)would create a centralized global federal net price calculator. Like existing net price calculators, it will show students the estimated total cost of attendance, net price after aid, and projected debt upon graduation.
Lawmakers supporting the bill say inconsistent formatting and vague terminology have left students confused about the true cost of college.
However, there are concerns about the sheer amount of data to be collected and how this can be applied in practice.
➡️ impact: If this law passes, families will be able to compare colleges more easily in terms of prices and debt scores, rather than relying on sticker prices or confusing award letters.
3. Lawmakers roll back Education Department loan rules for nurses
More than 100 members of Congress Send a bipartisan message (PDF) Urges the Department of Education to reconsider draft guidelines that exclude Postgraduate Nursing Programs From the list of “professional” degrees that qualify for higher federal loan limits.
Under the Department’s current approach, many advanced nursing students will face lower lifetime borrowing limits than students in law or medical programs. Lawmakers say this could limit access to nursing education and worsen workforce shortages.
You can see the full breakdown of graduate versus professional degrees.
➡️ impact: Borrowing limits directly impact who can afford advanced nursing degrees, especially students without family financial support.
4. Student loan IDR accrual is still close to 800,000
Recently submitted Student loan status report It shows that the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) backlog remains close 800000Although there was some improvement after the federal shutdown. The report notes ongoing delays for borrowers seeking to enroll in IDR and process PSLF repo.
Many borrowers are still waiting months to make decisions that affect monthly payments and forgiveness timelines.
➡️ impact: Processing delays leave borrowers in limbo, facing incorrect payments or halting progress toward forgiveness.
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