Book Content
Student Loan Law
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Chapter 2: Taking Out a Federal Student Loan: Basic Terms and Conditions
Chapter 3: Pre-Default Repayment Options
Chapter 4: Postponing Repayment on Federal Student Loans
Chapter 5: Pre-Default Servicing of Federal Student Loans
Chapter 6: Implications of Student Loan Defaults
Chapter 7: Repayment Strategies for Getting Out of Federal Student Loan Default
Chapter 8: Federal Student Loan Collection and Defenses
Chapter 9: Seizures of Income and Assets to Collect Federal Student Loans
Chapter 10: Statutory Discharges Based on School Misconduct
Chapter 11: Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Other Profession-Related Discharges
Chapter 12: Discharge Based on Disability and Death
Chapter 13: Appealing Adverse Discharge Decisions
Chapter 14: Tax Implications of Student Loan Discharges
Chapter 15: Discharging Student Loans in Bankruptcy
Chapter 16: Private Student Loans
Chapter 17: Predatory and For-Profit School
Surviving Debt
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Student Loan Borrower Assistance
NCLC's Student Loan Borrower Assistance website has many helpful resources about dealing with student loan debt. The website is designed for both borrowers and advocates. Explore all of NCLC's student loan resources on the Student Loan Borrower Assistance homepage, including the latest news and updates to the student loan system. You can also subscribe to the blog to receive these updates directly in your inbox.
Legal Aid Trainings
2025
Walking Through the Big Bill (Aug 2025)
Student Loan Updates: Big Bill, Student Loan Videos, and More (July 2025)
Understanding the Current Servicing Environment and Tips for Dealing with Servicers (May 2025)
Student Loan Updates (Apr 2025)
Defaulted Borrowers: The Impacts of the IDR Injunction and What to Do Now (March 2025)
Public Student Loan Forgiveness Practice Tips and Updates (Feb 2025)
The End of the Biden Administration: Key Student Loan Updates (Jan 2025)
2024
NCLC's Student Loan Toolkit: An Introduction for Advocates (June 2024)
Student Loan Borrower Assistance, Parent Plus Loans (Apr 2024)
Defaulted Student Loans: Helping Borrowers with a Fresh Start (March 2023)
Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge (Feb 2024)
Student Loan Borrower Assistance, Impact Litigation and Student Loans (Jan 2024)
2023
EDCAP and NCLC, Consolidation Mini-Training (December 2023)
Intake and Screening for Student Loan Issues (April 2023)
Defaulted Student Loans: Helping Borrowers with Fresh Start (March 2023)
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NCLC hosts monthly meetings for legal aid advocates who are interested in learning more about student loan law, currently handle student loan cases, or want to stay up to date on the latest student loan news. Meetings are held over Zoom on the third Tuesday of the month, from 1:00 pm EST to 2:30 pm EST. To attend these meetings, you must first sign up for the legal aid student loan listserv at this link: https://www.nclc.org/listservs.
The materials from previous trainings are viewable only by legal aid and NACA attorneys and attendees of a recent vetted NCLC conference. Qualified users should log in to authenticate, or create a free account to access the material. For assistance, contact [email protected].
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Listservs
Student Loans Listserv
This listserv discusses aspects of the student loan system and best practices for providing legal services for student loan borrowers. Although there is no censoring of the issues to be discussed, this group generally focuses on student loan issues that affect low-income borrowers. Frequent topics within this group include: predatory schools, student loan servicer misconduct, administrative loan discharges, bankruptcy and collection practices.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys
Legal Aid Student Loan Advocates Listserv
This list is open to legal aid advocates who are interested in learning more about student loan law, currently handle student loan cases, or want to stay up to date on the latest student loan news. In addition to general student loan discussion, agendas and invitations for legal aid student loan meetings will be sent to this list.
Eligible: Legal services
Ineligible: NACA members (non-legal services), Private consumer attorneys, Non-profit employees, Academics, Government attorneys
Help Videos
Experts at the National Consumer Law Center’s (NCLC) Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project have created a series of help videos designed for borrowers struggling to navigate the student loan repayment process. The videos, produced with support from the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, were created for borrowers and the advocates who help them. The video series makes it easier for borrowers to understand their options, regardless of the type of loan or loan repayment stage they’re in.
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Articles
A Consumer Practitioner's Guide to the Reconciliation Bill (July 2025)
New Consumer Law Rights Taking Effect in 2025 (January 2025)
Essential Toolkit for Advising Student Loan Borrowers (June 2024)
Student Loan Tookit
Adapted from the best-selling consumer guide Surviving Debt, NCLC's Student Loan Toolkit is a practical resource for student loan borrowers, whether they are just starting their student loan journey or have been dealing with student loan debt for decades.
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Student Loan Borrower News
Read the latest news and analysis from the Student Loan Borrower's Assistance project and subscribe to receive blog posts directly to your inbox.