ED Seeks Public Input on Study of Borrower Repayment Decisions

The Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences is seeking approval for a new study examining how federal student loan borrowers understand and make decisions about repayment plans. The study will use interviews with borrowers to examine factors including participation in income-driven repayment plans, understanding of repayment features such as forgiveness, payment caps, and interest subsidies, repayment behavior, and related household financial outcomes. The Department expects to conduct 60 interviews. Public comments on the study will be open through September 9th, 2026.