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Student Loans Main Page

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Tips: Before Enrolling in School

Tips: Before Taking Out Loans

Tips: Once You Have Loans

Student Loan Research Reports

Student Loan Testimony

In the News

In-Person Help

Other Resources


Student Loans In the News

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DCWP Op-Eds and Blog Posts

Read op-ed via amNY, "When it comes to navigating public service loan forgiveness, even an NYC Commissioner needs a financial counselor" By Vilda Vera Mayuga, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner (06/14/23)

Read blog post via Medium, "Black Borrower’s Blueprint to Reducing Student Loan Debt" By Melissa Barosy, former Press Secretary for the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (02/24/21)

Read blog post via Medium, "Be Real about Student Loans: 5 Tips Every New Graduate Needs" By Amelia Josephson, Office of Financial Empowerment at the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (05/20/19)

Read op-ed via The Hill, "Is student loan debt the next financial crisis?" By Lorelei Salas, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (04/02/18)

Read blog post via Medium, "Three Unexpected Ways Defaulting on Your Student Loans Impacts Your Long-Term Credit" By Lorelei Salas, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (04/25/18)

2024 Press Releases

CFPB Report Details Student Borrower Harms from Servicing Failures and Program Disruptions (11/15/24)

CFPB Survey Reveals Impacts of Student Loan Debt Relief and Repayment Challenges (11/13/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases Proposed Rules to Authorize Debt Relief to Nearly Eight Million Borrowers Experiencing Hardship (10/25/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Additional $4.5 Billion in Student Debt Relief for 60,000 Public Service Workers, Bringing Total to Over 1 Million Public Servants (10/17/24)

CFPB Report Highlights Challenges Facing Servicemembers and Veterans with Student Loans (09/24/24)

CFPB Bans Navient from Federal Student Loan Servicing and Orders the Company to Pay $120 Million for Wide-Ranging Student Lending Failures (09/12/24)

CFPB Takes Action Against Western Benefits for Swindling Student Loan Borrowers (05/20/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Allows Borrowers More Time to Consolidate Loans to Get Credit for Progress Toward Loan Forgiveness Programs (05/15/24)

Take the Stress Out of Summer: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Provides End of School Year Tips to Help College Students (05/10/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $6.1 Billion Group Student Loan Discharge for 317,000 Borrowers Who Attended The Art Institutes (05/01/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases First Set of Draft Rules to Provide Debt Relief to Millions of Borrowers (04/16/24)

FTC Action Leads to Industry Ban for Ringleader of Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (04/16/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $7.4 Billion in Approved Student Debt Relief for 277,000 Borrowers (04/12/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Plans to Deliver Debt Relief to Tens of Millions of Americans (04/08/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Additional $5.8 Billion in Student Debt Relief for 78,000 Public Service Workers (03/21/24)

FTC Sends More Than $4.1 Million in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (03/13/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $1.2 Billion in Loan Forgiveness for Over 150,000 SAVE Plan Borrowers (02/21/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Takes Next Steps on Rulemaking to Provide Debt Relief to Student Loan Borrowers Experiencing Hardship (02/15/24)

CFPB to distribute more than $10.9 million to consumers harmed by student loan debt-relief business (02/15/24)

FTC Action Leads to Permanent Ban for Scammers Who Charged Students Seeking Debt Relief with Junk Fees (02/06/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Continues Rulemaking Process to Provide Debt Relief for More Student Loan Borrowers (01/31/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $4.9 Billion in Approved Student Debt Relief (01/19/24)

Millions of Student Loan Borrowers Are Trapped in Long-Term Defaults (01/17/24)

Biden-Harris Administration to Shorten Path to Debt Cancellation for Some SAVE Borrowers (01/11/24)

CFPB Report Identifies Challenges Faced by Borrowers in Resumption of Student Loan Payments (01/05/24)

2023 Press Releases

CFPB Report Finds Many College-Sponsored Financial Products Charge High and Unusual Fees (12/19/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $5 Billion in Additional Student Debt Relief (12/06/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Prepares for Third Student Debt Relief Negotiation Session (12/04/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Framework for Student Loan Servicer Accountability To Protect Borrowers Nationwide (11/09/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly 5.5 Million Borrowers Are Enrolled in the SAVE Plan (11/08/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Continues Efforts to Provide Debt Relief for More Student Loan Borrowers (10/30/23)

U.S. Department of Education Announces Withholding of Payment to Student Loan Servicer as Part of Accountability Measures for Harmed Borrowers (10/30/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases Final Rules that Strengthen Accountability for Colleges and Consumer Protection for Students (10/24/23)

Sollers College to Cancel $3.4 Million in Student Debt to Resolve Charges It Used Deceptive Ads to Lure Prospective Students into Illegal Contracts (10/18/23)

Student Loan Debt Relief Scammers Permanently Banned from Industry, Ordered to Turn Over Assets under Proposed Order (10/06/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces an Additional $9 Billion in Student Debt Relief (10/04/23)

CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General James Provides Tips to Borrowers as Federal Student Loan Payments Resume (09/30/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Moves Forward with Student Debt Relief Negotiated Rulemaking to Deliver Support to as Many Borrowers as Possible as Quickly as Possible (09/29/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Landmark Final Rules to Protect Consumers from Unaffordable Student Debt and Increase Transparency (09/27/23)

Attorney General James Reaches Agreement with Marymount Manhattan College to Invest $3.5 Million to Protect Students’ Online Data (09/21/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $37 Million in Borrower Defense Discharges for Over 1,200 Students Who Attended the University of Phoenix (09/20/23)

CFPB Report Finds College Tuition Payment Plans Can Put Student Borrowers at Risk (09/14/23)

100 Groups Join “SAVE on Student Debt” Outreach Campaign, Reaching More Than 18 Million Americans (09/12/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than 4 Million Student Loan Borrowers Are Enrolled in the New SAVE Plan (09/05/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $72 Million in Borrower Defense Discharges for over 2,300 Borrowers who Attended Ashford University (08/30/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Seeks Nominations for Non-Federal Negotiators to Continue Rulemaking Process on Student Debt Relief (08/29/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Launches Most Affordable Repayment Plan Ever, Transforming Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation (08/22/23)

FTC and DOJ Send More Than $9 Million in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to a Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (08/22/23)

FTC Stops Scammers Charged with Preying on Students Seeking Debt Relief (08/21/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Begins Discharges for 804,000 Borrowers with $39 Billion in Automatic Loan Forgiveness as a Result of Fixes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans (08/14/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases State-By-State Data on $39 Billion in Loan Forgiveness for 804,000 Borrowers as a Result of Fixes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans (07/18/23)

Biden-Harris Administration to Provide 804,000 Borrowers with $39 Billion in Automatic Loan Forgiveness as a Result of Fixes to Income Driven Repayment Plans (07/14/23)

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Provide Debt Relief and Support for Student Loan Borrowers (06/30/23)

Secretary Cardona Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Biden Administration's One Time Student Debt Relief Plan (06/30/23)

FTC Staff Files Comment on U.S. Department of Education’s Proposed Regulations to Protect Postsecondary Education Students (06/21/23)

FTC Sends More than $3.3 Million to Consumers Harmed by Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (06/14/23)

FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes that it Says Bilked Students Out of Millions (05/08/23)

U.S. Department of Education Announces $42 Billion in Approved Public Service Loan Forgiveness for More Than 615,000 Borrowers Since October 2021 (05/08/23)

CFPB Heightens Scrutiny of Unlawful Collection of Payments on Discharged Student Loans (03/16/23)

Education Department Announces Use of Secret Shopping to Protect Students, Crack Down on Institutions that Lure Students with Lies (03/14/23)

CFPB Uncovers Illegal Junk Fees on Bank Accounts, Mortgages, and Student and Auto Loans (03/08/23)

Secretary Cardona Statement Following Supreme Court Oral Arguments (02/28/23)

Department of Education Releases New Data Showing the American Rescue Plan and Other Pandemic Relief Funds Kept Millions of College Students Enrolled in School (02/01/23)

FTC Finalizes Order with Ed Tech Provider Chegg for Lax Security that Exposed Student Data (01/27/23)

Statement by Secretary Cardona in Response to Filing of Student Debt Relief Amicus Briefs (01/11/23)

New Proposed Regulations Would Transform Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Loan Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation (01/10/23)

Statement from Secretary Cardona on Legal Brief Filed with the Supreme Court on the Student Debt Relief Program (01/04/23)

2022 Press Releases

Biden-Harris Administration Continues Fight for Student Debt Relief for Millions of Borrowers, Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause (11/22/22)

Federal Trade Commission Returns More Than $830,000 to Students Misled by Saint James Medical School’s Deceptive Marketing Claims (11/03/22)

FTC Brings Action Against Ed Tech Provider Chegg for Careless Security that Exposed Personal Data of Millions of Customers (10/31/22)

Consumer Alert: Attorney General James Reminds Public Servants to Apply for Student Debt Relief Ahead of Deadline (10/27/22)

Education Department Announces Permanent Improvements to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and One-time payment Count Adjustment to Bring Borrowers Closer to Forgiveness (10/25/22)

CFPB Supervisory Examinations Find Violations of Federal Law by Student Loan Servicers and University-Owned Lenders (09/29/22)

Education Department Approves $1.5 billion in Debt Relief for 79,000 Borrowers Who Attended Westwood College (08/30/22)

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Student Loan Relief for Borrowers Who Need It Most (08/24/22)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Student Loan Pause Extension Through December 31 and Targeted Debt Cancellation to Smooth Transition to Repayment (08/24/22)

Thanks to Temporary Changes, U.S. Department of Education Announces Public Service Loan Forgiveness Surpasses $10 Billion in Debt Relief (08/23/22)

Federal Trade Commission Sends More than $822,000 to Students Deceived by Student Advocates’ Debt Relief Scam (08/18/22)

Education Department approves $3.9 billion group discharge for 208,000 borrowers who attended ITT Technical Institute (08/16/22)

Attorney General James Delivers $230,000 to New York City to Support Consumer Financial Literacy Programs (07/14/22)

Federal Trade Commission Sends More than $2 Million to Students Harmed by Debt Relief Scam (06/22/22)

CFPB Seeks Ban Against Operator of Student Loan Debt Relief Scam Reboot (06/09/22)

Education Department Approves $5.8 Billion Group Discharge to Cancel all Remaining Loans for 560,000 Borrowers who Attended Corinthian (06/01/22)

CFPB Orders Scam’s Ringleaders to Pay More Than $8 Million to Consumers and Student Loan Borrowers (05/11/22)

Attorney General James Calls for Full Cancelation of Federal Student Loan Debt (05/04/22)

CFPB Obtains Ban Against Debt Relief CEO Daniel Crenshaw (04/29/22)

Attorney General James Secures Student Debt Relief for Thousands of New Yorkers Whose Federal Loans Were Allegedly Mismanaged by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) (04/27/22)

Department of Education Announces Actions to Fix Longstanding Failures in the Student Loan Programs (04/19/22)

Federal Trade Commission Takes Action Against For-Profit Medical School for Using Deceptive Marketing to Lure Students (04/15/22)

Statement by President Biden Extending the Pause on Student Loan Repayment Through August 31st, 2022 (04/06/22)

Attorney General James Urges Former Students Deceived by DeVry University to Apply for Federal Loan Discharge (03/31/22)

CFPB Sanctions Edfinancial for Lying about Student Loan Cancellation (03/30/22)

Mayor Adams Delivers $20 Million in Debt Relief to Former Berkeley College Students (03/02/22)

CFPB Steps Up Scrutiny of Student Loan Servicers That Deceive Borrowers About Public Service Loan Forgiveness (02/18/22)

Education Department Approves $415 Million in Borrower Defense Claims Including for Former DeVry University Students (02/16/22)

Remaining Defendants Banned from Providing Student Loan Debt Relief Services in Settlements with FTC (01/26/22)

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Examine Colleges’ In-House Lending Practices (01/20/22)

Attorney General James Secures $1.85 Billion From Deceptive Student Loan Servicer Navient (01/13/22)

2018 - 2021 Press Releases

Statement by President Joe Biden Extending the Pause on Student Loan Repayment an Additional 90 Days (12/22/21)

Student Loans Negatively Affect Life Decisions for Half of New York City Borrowers (12/17/21)

U.S. Department of Education Increases Servicer Performance, Transparency, and Accountability Before Loan Payments Restart (10/15/21)

U.S. Department of Education to Establish an Enforcement Office Within Federal Student Aid (10/08/21)

Fact Sheet: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program Overhaul (10/06/21)

FTC Targets False Claims by For-Profit Colleges (10/06/21)

U.S. Department of Education Announces Transformational Changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, Will Put Over 550,000 Public Service Workers Closer to Loan Forgiveness (10/06/21)

FTC Charges Two Florida-based Companies with Helping Student Debt Relief Scammers (07/12/21)

FTC Sends Checks to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (06/25/21)

FTC Sends Refunds to People who Lost Money to Student Loan, Mortgage Debt Relief Scheme (06/24/21)

FTC Sending More than $147,000 in Refunds to People Affected by Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (05/19/21)

Operators of Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme Banned From Providing Debt Relief Services as Part of Settlement with FTC (05/17/21)

FTC Sends More than $273,500 in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (05/05/21)

FTC Sends Nearly $50 Million in Refunds to University of Phoenix Students (03/24/21)

FTC Sends More than $1.7 Million in Refunds to People who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (02/10/21)

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Releases Brief on Inequalities for Student Loan Borrowers With Low Incomes (01/19/21)

Student Loan Debt Relief Scammer Brandon Frere Agrees to Settle FTC Charges (11/19/20)

FTC Warns Frank Financial Aid to Stop Potentially Misleading Marketing Directed to Students Seeking Coronavirus Financial Relief (11/16/20)

Operators of Student Debt Relief Scheme Agree to Pay at Least $835,000 to Settle FTC Allegations (09/09/20)

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Report Highlights Major Factor in Racial Wealth Gap – Student Loan Debt (08/05/20)

Court Rules in FTC’s Favor Against Student Debt Relief Scammers (07/20/20)

FTC Sends More than $1 Million in Refunds to Victims of Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (07/09/20)

FTC Returns More than $3.1 Million to Victims of Student Loan Debt Relief and Credit Repair Scheme (03/26/20)

Student Loan Debt Relief Companies Agree to Settle FTC Charges They Falsely Promised to Lower or Eliminate Consumers’ Student Loans (03/20/20)

Three Defendants in Student Debt Relief Scheme Banned from Selling Debt Relief and Telemarketing (03/10/20)

FTC Obtains Record $191 Million Settlement from University of Phoenix to Resolve FTC Charges It Used Deceptive Advertising to Attract Prospective Students (12/10/19)

FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme that Allegedly Bilked Consumers out of Millions (11/12/19)

FTC Sends More Than $5.4 Million to People Who Paid for Worthless Student Loan Debt Relief (09/20/19)

FTC Takes Action against Operators of Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes and the Financing Company that Assisted Them (09/12/19)

FTC Names Additional Defendant in Student Loan Debt Relief Case (09/03/19)

Additional Defendants in Student Debt Relief Schemes Agree to Settle FTC Charges (07/31/19)

FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme, Charges Operators with Misleading Consumers (07/11/19)

Ringleader of Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme Liable for $11 Million in Settlement of FTC Charges (05/30/19)

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Encourages New Yorkers to "Be Real" About Student Loan Debt in New Public Awareness Campaign (04/25/19)

Department of Consumer Affairs Introduces Rules to Protect New Yorkers from Predatory For-Profit Schools (03/05/19)

FTC Seeks to Add New Defendants in Student Debt Relief Case (02/07/19)

Department of Consumer Affairs Releases Report Examining the Factors Contributing to Student Loan Distress Across New York City Neighborhoods (11/01/18)

Department Of Consumer Affairs Files Charges Against Berkeley College For Deceptive And Predatory Practices (10/19/18)

National College Savings Month: Department of Consumer Affairs Encourages New Yorkers to Start Saving Early for College (09/12/18)

Department of Consumer Affairs Announces 50,000 New Yorkers Have Received Free Counseling at Financial Empowerment Centers (06/14/18)

National Consumer Protection Week: Consumer Affairs Warns New Yorkers about the Growing Student Loan Debt Crisis (03/06/18)

Department of Consumer Affairs Launches Student Debt Clinics in Targeted Neighborhoods to Aid New Yorkers (01/26/18)

#TalkStudentLoans with DCWP

In New York City, around 15 percent of adults have a student loan. That’s a million people. Across the country, there are roughly 44 million people with student loan debt. So whether you’re a prospective, current, or former student loan borrower, share your loan experience on social media using #TalkStudentLoans and tag us @helloDCWP (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). Together, we can amplify the message that student loans are REAL debt so that every New Yorker knows their rights and responsibilities and national policymakers step up to help and protect borrowers.

This page was updated on 05/2024.