On this page, you'll find proposals that aim to improve affordability in innovative ways for students outside of grant or campus-based aid funding proposals. 

S.5559/H.R.10612 — BASIC Act of 2026

Sponsor: Sen. Padilla [D-CA]
Sponsor: Rep. Torres [D-CA] 
Introduced: 09/24/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would establish federal grants to help colleges address students’ basic needs, including food, housing, health care, childcare, transportation, and technology. The bill would authorize $1 billion annually for fiscal years 2027–2033, including planning grants of up to $200,000 and five-year implementation grants of up to $5 million. It would also expand data-sharing agreements and FAFSA-related outreach to connect potentially eligible students with federal and state assistance programs.

H.R.10551 — Public Service Educational Assistance Act

Sponsor: Rep. Figures [D-AL]
Introduced: 09/24/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would establish a Public Service Educational Assistance Program to provide educational assistance to dependents of public service employees who complete at least 20 years of qualifying service. The benefit would cover tuition, fees, and books for up to four academic years at eligible public colleges or public education and training programs. Eligible public service employees would include first responders, educators and teachers, and government-employed social workers.

S.5431 — Diversify Act

Sponsor: Sen. Booker [D-NJ]
Introduced: 09/17/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would expand the TEACH Grant program by doubling the annual TEACH Grant amount from $4,000 to $8,000 and increasing the lifetime limits from $16,000 to $32,000 for undergraduate and from $8,000 to $16,000 for graduate students. It would also allow TEACH Grant recipients to use disbursements for their full cost of attendance, expand qualifying service to include high-need early childhood education programs, and eliminate monetary penalties for recipients who do not complete their required service.

H.R.10452 — Credit for Prior Learning Act

Sponsor: Rep. Norcross [D-NJ]
Introduced: 09/16/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would allow institutions to include up to $2,000 per award year in a student’s cost of attendance for costs associated with eligible prior learning assessments, including testing fees. The bill defines eligible assessments as those that evaluate demonstrated knowledge or skills, meet generally accepted standards, and result in academic credit without requiring additional coursework.

H.R.10455 — Debt-Free College Act of 2026

Sponsor: Rep. Pocan [D-WI]
Introduced: 09/16/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would establish a new federal-state partnership to help students attend public colleges and universities in their home states without incurring student loan debt. The bill would provide federal matching grants to states that maintain or increase their investment in public higher education and meet requirements related to tuition, student aid, and affordability. Federal funds could be used to cover students’ unmet financial need and other costs included in the full cost of attendance. Participating institutions would also have to maintain or increase enrollment of low-income students, maintain institutional aid for those students, calculate and report students’ full cost of attendance, and provide information about debt-free college opportunities. The bill also creates a separate grant program for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions to provide need-based financial aid. In addition, it would expand eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant to certain DREAMer students.

S.5403 — Debt-Free College Act of 2026

Sponsor: Sen. Schatz [D-HI]
Introduced: 09/15/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would create State-Federal partnerships to help students attend in-state public colleges without debt, primarily by covering unmet financial need. Participating states would receive federal grants equal to their net state operating support and would have to maintain/increase higher education funding, cap tuition and fees, and develop five-year plans to achieve debt-free college. The bill also creates a separate $3 billion annual grant program for eligible HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and other MSIs to provide need-based aid, and expands Federal Pell Grant/Title IV eligibility to qualifying DREAMer students.

S.4897 — Credit for Prior Learning Act

Sponsors: Sen. Klobuchar [D-MN]
Introduced: 06/24/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would allow institutions to include up to $2,000 per award year in a student’s COA for eligible prior learning assessment fees, enabling students to use existing federal financial aid to cover those costs. The bill defines an eligible credit for prior learning assessment, requires accrediting agencies to verify that institutions have sufficient, publicly disclosed standards for assessing prior learning, and requires institutions to report on students receiving prior learning credit and on the average number of credits awarded.

H.R.8279 — Unnamed as of 4/30/2026

Sponsor: Rep. Suozzi [D-NY]
Introduced: 04/14/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would allow certain foreign graduate medical schools to qualify as eligible institutions if they meet specific enrollment or state-approved clinical training requirements.

H.R.7232 — AID Act

Sponsor: Rep. Stevens [D-MI]
Introduced: 01/22/2026
NASFAA Summary: This bill would establish a student loan allowance for purposes of calculating the student aid index. Beginning with award year 2027–2028, eligible parents may subtract up to $4,000 or 15 percent of their outstanding federal student loan debt from their total income when determining a student’s aid eligibility, with income-based caps for high earners. The Act also requires the Department of Education to annually adjust the allowance for inflation and report to Congress on its impact, including the number of students affected and the average allowance.

H.R.6282 — Providing Distance Education for Foreign Institutions Act

Sponsor: Rep. Smucker [R-PA]
Introduced: 11/21/2025
NASFAA Summary: This bill would allow American students participating in foreign distance education programs to access federal financial aid. The proposed legislation seeks to amend current regulations that prohibit access to Title IV funds if any portion of a foreign degree program is conducted online.

H.R.3165 — Student Loan Tax Elimination Act

Sponsor: Rep. Smucker [R-PA]
Introduced: 05/01/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would eliminate origination fees on federal student loans. 

S.1347 — Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Peters [D-MI]
Introduced: 04/08/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would expand access to dual or concurrent enrollment programs and early college high school programs. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to eligible institutions, prioritizing those serving low-income, rural, or first-generation college students. Funds can be used for activities such as professional development, course design, outreach, and covering student costs like tuition, materials, and transportation.

H.R.2664 — Unnamed

Sponsor: Rep. Adams [D-NC]
Introduced: 04/07/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would expand allowable activities for institutions receiving Title III support, specifically those that serve historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. The amendment adds new provisions to support students in arts, arts education, and cultural programs by allowing institutions to provide financial aid, mentorship, career advising, and work-based learning opportunities.

H.R.1176 — Clock Hour Program Student Protection Act

Sponsor: Rep. Smucker [R-PA]
Introduced: 02/10/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would clarify clock hour requirements for certain Title IV-eligible training programs by ensuring that programs exceeding state or federal minimum training requirements for a recognized profession remain eligible for federal student aid, as long as they do not exceed 150% of the required hours. 

H.R.777 — Closing the College Hunger Gap Act

Sponsor: Rep. Hayes [D-CT]
Introduced: 01/28/2025
NASFAA Summary & Analysis: This bill would require ED to notify students with a zero or negative Student Aid Index about their potential eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This notification must be sent in both written and electronic form and include contact information for the state agency administering SNAP. 

Legislative Tracker Overview   |   Archive: Improving Affordability