2025 Year in Review: NASFAA's 10 Most Popular Original Articles
2025 was another big year of changes for the financial aid community, with the development and enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which contained significant provisions that reshape student financial aid.
Beyond OBBBA, other big news kept the financial aid community very busy this year. The presidential election and how the transition in administrations could impact student aid, ongoing debate over the annual federal budget, efforts to ‘dismantle’ the Department of Education (ED), and more.
Here are the top 10 articles NASFAA readers consumed in 2025:
Biden Administration Announces 'Final' Student Loan Debt Relief Approvals
January 17, 2025 - With just a few days until the incoming Trump administration takes office, the Biden administration on Thursday announced its "final" approvals of student loan forgiveness for borrowers through the income-based repayment (IBR) plan and borrower defense to repayment.
You Have Questions; We Have Answers: Making Sense of the Student Loan Changes from OBBBA’s RISE Committee
November 20, 2025 - The Department of Education (ED) inched closer to implementing regulations for the loan-related provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) earlier this month with the conclusion of its Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) negotiated rulemaking (neg reg) committee, which reached consensus after two weeks of discussions. While final regulations are still forthcoming, ED addressed several outstanding questions and provided some clarification throughout the rulemaking session.
What a Second Trump Term Could Mean for Student Financial Aid
October 8, 2024 - With the 2024 presidential election less than a month away, former President Donald Trump’s platform could mean more aggressive policies for higher education and federal student financial aid.
Trump Signs Sprawling Reconciliation Package Into Law, Here’s How it Impacts Higher Ed
July 7, 2025 - Republicans completed their months-long legislative effort to implement sweeping tax changes through the reconciliation process, with several provisions directly impacting higher education programs.
Senate Passes Federal Spending Bill, Averting Government Shutdown
May 17, 2025 - The Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) on Friday evening that will fund the federal government until September 30, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. President Donald Trump signed the legislation into law on Saturday.
Trump Signs Executive Order Seeking to Dismantle ED
March 21, 2025 - President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that seeks to dissolve the Department of Education (ED) and “return authority” over education to states and local communities.
PSLF Buyback Program: A Way to Have SAVE Plan Forbearance Months Counted Towards Loan Forgiveness
January 30, 2025 - With the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan still held up in litigation and millions of borrowers in a non-interest accruing payment forbearance, many borrowers enrolled in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program may be wondering how, and if, these months will be counted towards their 120 payments for forgiveness.
Report: The Biggest Barriers to Higher Ed Enrollment Are Cost and Lack of Financial Aid
July 16, 2024 - U.S. adults who either stopped out, or never enrolled in a postsecondary education program, collectively cited the biggest barrier to accessing a degree or credential is the cost of college.
What Could an Effort to 'Abolish' the Department of Education Actually Mean for Financial Aid Policy?
December 9, 2024 - Now that President-elect Donald Trump is beginning to formulate his cabinet, questions are being raised concerning how his campaign platform will translate to federal policymaking.
Court Ruling Affirms Blocking of SAVE Plan While Next Steps for the Program Remain Uncertain
February 25, 2025 - In the spring of 2024, a federal court issued an injunction preventing the U.S. Department of Education (ED) from fully implementing the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan. Since that ruling the program’s fate has remained uncertain, and now that the 8th Circuit Court has affirmed the blockage of SAVE it is unclear whether borrowers will be able to remain in the payment plan.
Publication Date: 12/16/2025
You must be logged in to comment on this page.