Student Loans

Private Student Loans & ISAs

Private student loans and income share agreements (ISAs) offer borrowers fewer protections than federal student loans, and terms and conditions vary widely. These private products can be particularly risky for low-income students, who have been targeted for expensive products with high default rates. NCLC works to educate the public about risks associated with these financial products and educate consumer attorneys on representing clients in private litigation.

Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project

While private student loans don’t offer the same protections, benefits, and relief as federal student loans, NCLC’s Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project breaks down the rights you still have as a consumer.

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Recent

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The Growing Impact of Student Loan Debt on Older Adults

September 19, 2024

3.5 Million Older Americans Have Over $125 Billion in Student Loans

September 19, 2024

Student Loan Toolkit Helps Borrowers Manage Repayment 

June 6, 2024

Student Loan Toolkit

May 20, 2024

FTC Letter RE: Stay-or-Pay Contracts and Training Repayment Agreement Provisions (TRAPs)

April 1, 2024

Business Insider: How private lenders have left millions of college students with no hope for the future

August 21, 2023

New Resources for Student Loan Borrowers

June 22, 2023

Comments to California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Regarding Education Financing and Student Debt Relief Services

May 17, 2023

Letter to California DFPI Regarding Proposed Changes to Regulations Under the Student Loan Servicing Act

October 28, 2022

Comments & Letters

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ABCs of Student Loans: Getting Started on Student Loan Cases

March 4, 2025

The Growing Impact of Student Loan Debt on Older Adults

September 19, 2024

3.5 Million Older Americans Have Over $125 Billion in Student Loans

September 19, 2024

Student Loan Toolkit Helps Borrowers Manage Repayment 

June 6, 2024

Student Loan Toolkit

May 20, 2024

FTC Letter RE: Stay-or-Pay Contracts and Training Repayment Agreement Provisions (TRAPs)

April 1, 2024

Business Insider: How private lenders have left millions of college students with no hope for the future

August 21, 2023

New Resources for Student Loan Borrowers

June 22, 2023

Comments to California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Regarding Education Financing and Student Debt Relief Services

May 17, 2023

Reports

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Student Loan Toolkit

May 20, 2024

Going to School on Robo-signing: How to Help Borrowers and Stop the Abuses in Private Student Loan Collection Cases

April 1, 2014

The Sallie Mae Saga: A Government-Created, Student Debt Fueled Profit Machine

January 16, 2014

Too Small to Help: The Plight of Financially Distressed Private Student Loan Borrowers

April 8, 2009

Paying the Price: The High Cost of Private Student Loans and the Dangers for Student Borrowers

March 3, 2008

Issue Briefs

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The Growing Impact of Student Loan Debt on Older Adults

September 19, 2024

2021 Student Loan Federal Priorities

December 1, 2020

Wake-Up Call to State Governments: Protect Online Education Students from For-Profit School Fraud

December 9, 2015

Press Releases & News

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3.5 Million Older Americans Have Over $125 Billion in Student Loans

September 19, 2024

Student Loan Toolkit Helps Borrowers Manage Repayment 

June 6, 2024

Business Insider: How private lenders have left millions of college students with no hope for the future

August 21, 2023

New Resources for Student Loan Borrowers

June 22, 2023

Students and Consumer Groups Sue Biden Administration for Failing to Rule on State AG Group Borrower Defense Claims

April 26, 2022

The System is Still Broken: 115+ Organizations Renew Push for Overdue Reforms to Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)

April 7, 2022

Advocates Support Extension of Student Loan Payment Pause and Praise Removal of Loans from Punitive Default System 

April 6, 2022

Report: Survey of State Student Protection Funds that Help Students Harmed by Higher Education Fraud

January 14, 2021

New NCLC, CRL Report Proposes Roadmap for Student Borrowers to Survive the COVID Debt Crisis

November 23, 2020

From the NCLC Digital Library

Student Loan Law

NCLC’s Student Loan Law treatise details all the latest rights of student loan debtors, including loan forgiveness for the schools’ deceptive practices, financial hardship and other loan deferments, and more. The treatise covers multiple types of student loans, including private student loans.

Read Chapter One

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