SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Empowering Students 
Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ANNUAL COUNSELING. 
Section 485(l) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1092(l)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(l) ANNUAL FINANCIAL AID COUNSELING.— 
‘‘(1) ANNUAL DISCLOSURE REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible institu-
tion shall ensure that each individual who re-
ceives a Federal Pell Grant or a loan made 
under part D (other than a Federal Direct Con-
solidation Loan) receives comprehensive infor-
mation on the terms and conditions of such 
Federal Pell Grant or loan and the responsibil-
ities the individual has with respect to such 
Federal Pell Grant or loan. Such information 
shall be provided, for each award year for which 
the individual receives such Federal Pell Grant 
or loan, in a simple and understandable man-
ner— 
‘‘(i) during a counseling session con-
ducted in person; 
‘‘(ii) online, with the individual ac-
knowledging receipt of the information; or
‘‘(iii) through the use of the online 
counseling tool described in subsection 
(n)(1)(B). 
‘‘(B) USE OF INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS.— 
In the case of institutions not using the online 
counseling 
tool 
described 
in 
subsection 
(n)(1)(B), the Secretary shall require such in-
stitutions to carry out the requirements of sub-
paragraph (A) through the use of interactive 
programs, during an annual counseling session 
that is in-person or online, that test the individ-
ual’s understanding of the terms and conditions 
of the Federal Pell Grant or loan awarded to 
the student, using simple and understandable 
language and clear formatting. 
‘‘(2) ALL INDIVIDUALS.—The information to be 
provided under paragraph (1)(A) to each individual 
receiving counseling under this subsection shall in-
clude the following: 
‘‘(A) An explanation of how the student 
may budget for typical educational expenses 
and a sample budget based on the cost of at-
tendance for the institution. 
‘‘(B) An explanation that an individual has 
a right to annually request a disclosure of infor-
mation collected by a consumer reporting agen-
cy pursuant to section 612(a) of the Fair Credit 
Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681j(a)). 
‘‘(C) Based on the most recent data avail-
able from the American Community Survey 
available from the Department of Commerce, 
the estimated average income and percentage of 
employment in the State of domicile of the bor-
rower for persons with— 
‘‘(i) a high school diploma or equiva-
lent; 
‘‘(ii) some post-secondary education 
without completion of a degree or certifi-
cate; and 
‘‘(iii) a bachelor’s degree. 
‘‘(D) An introduction to the financial man-
agement resources provided by the Financial 
Literacy and Education Commission. 
‘‘(3) STUDENTS
RECEIVING
FEDERAL
PELL 
GRANTS.—The information to be provided under 
paragraph (1)(A) to each student receiving a Fed-
eral Pell Grant shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) An explanation of the terms and con-
ditions of the Federal Pell Grant.
‘‘(B) An explanation of approved edu-
cational expenses for which the student may use 
the Federal Pell Grant. 
‘‘(C) An explanation of why the student 
may have to repay the Federal Pell Grant. 
‘‘(D) An explanation of the maximum 
number of semesters or equivalent for which the 
student may be eligible to receive a Federal Pell 
Grant, and a statement of the amount of time 
remaining for which the student may be eligible 
to receive a Federal Pell Grant. 
‘‘(E) An explanation that if the student 
transfers to another institution not all of the 
student’s courses may be acceptable in transfer 
toward meeting specific degree or program re-
quirements at such institution, but the amount 
of time remaining for which a student may be 
eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant, as pro-
vided under subparagraph (D), will not change. 
‘‘(F) An explanation of how the student 
may seek additional financial assistance from 
the institution’s financial aid office due to a 
change in the student’s financial circumstances, 
and the contact information for such office.
‘‘(4) BORROWERS
RECEIVING
LOANS
MADE 
UNDER
PART
D
(OTHER
THAN
PARENT
PLUS 
LOANS).—The information to be provided under 
paragraph (1)(A) to a borrower of a loan made 
under part D (other than a Federal Direct PLUS 
Loan made on behalf of a dependent student) shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) To the extent practicable, the effect 
of accepting the loan to be disbursed on the eli-
gibility of the borrower for other forms of stu-
dent financial assistance. 
‘‘(B) An explanation of the use of the mas-
ter promissory note. 
‘‘(C) An explanation that the borrower is 
not required to accept the full amount of the 
loan offered to the borrower. 
‘‘(D) An explanation that the borrower 
should consider accepting any grant, scholar-
ship, or State or Federal work-study jobs for 
which the borrower is eligible prior to accepting 
Federal student loans. 
‘‘(E) A recommendation to the borrower to 
exhaust the borrower’s Federal student loan op-
tions prior to taking out private loans, an expla-
nation that Federal student loans typically offer