The College Investor

06/09/2026

A federal judge just struck down Trump's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, ruling it was an illegal tax the president had no authority to impose. 🏛️

The H-1B program lets U.S. employers (including colleges, universities, and research labs) hire skilled foreign workers, and a six-figure surcharge on every petition put a lot of that hiring at risk.

The judge sided with 20 states led by California, writing that the power to tax belongs to Congress, not the White House. The administration will likely appeal.

📷 AP Photo/Alex Brandon

06/09/2026

The new federal borrowing limits for 2026-27:
- Parent PLUS capped at $20,000/year and $65,000 lifetime per dependent.
- Graduate students capped at $20,500/year (up to $100,000 lifetime).
- Professional students (med, law) can borrow up to $50,000/year.

These are dramatic reductions from the old "borrow up to cost of attendance" system.

06/09/2026

Looking for the best savings account rates on June 8, 2026? You can still find up to 5% APY:

Compare today’s top high-yield savings accounts — best APYs, fees, and FDIC-insured options, updated June 8, 2026.

06/09/2026

Here's a student loan option most families never hear about: state-based non-profit lenders. 🎓

These lenders are typically chartered by individual states, and because their goal is helping students rather than turning a profit, they can offer lower rates and fees than the big national private lenders — often with extra discounts if you live in the state.

They aren't available everywhere, and the best deals are usually reserved for in-state borrowers, but if your state has one, it's worth a look before you sign with anyone else.

See which states have non-profit lenders:
👉 https://thecollegeinvestor.com/43604/private-non-profit-student-loan-providers/

06/08/2026

New data from Higher Ed Drive shows international enrollment fell last year, but it's still higher then just two years ago.

There also appears to be some shifts in who is coming to study, less students from China, more from India and Africa.

06/08/2026

The federal student loan glossary in 2026:

RAP: New plan, no $0 option
PAYE: Going away in 2028
ICR: Also going away in 2028
IBR: The only legacy IDR plan that continues for existing borrowers
SAVE: Dead and the borrowers have to leave soon
Tiered Standard: New combo of standard and extended
Standard: The old default plan takes 10 years
It's a lot.

06/08/2026

You don't want to ignore this: the proposed House spending bill raises the maximum Pell Grant by $50 (to $7,445) — but it pays for that by permanently eliminating subsidized federal student loans starting July 2027. 📉

Subsidized loans are the ones where the government covers interest while your student is still in school. Take that away, and interest starts piling up from day one — an estimated $6,000 more in debt per borrower on average. And since 84% of Pell recipients borrow, this lands hardest on the families with the least cushion.

It's still early in the process, but this is the direction Washington is heading on student loans. Worth knowing now. 👇
https://thecollegeinvestor.com/81934/house-spending-bill-would-eliminate-subsidized-student-loans-to-pay-for-pell/

06/08/2026

Over 60 Democratic lawmakers have asked for information from ED about the upcoming potential student loan default cliff.

06/08/2026

Nearly 9 million borrowers are now in default (almost double last summer) and starting July 1, about 7 million people in the old SAVE plan will get 90-day notices to pick a new repayment plan or get moved into a more expensive one automatically.

This week, 62 members of Congress sent a letter pressing the Education Department to clear the IDR application backlog, pause forced collections, and enroll SAVE borrowers in the lowest-cost plan available.

Whether or not anything changes in Washington, the deadlines are real and knowing your options now can save you hundreds of dollars a month. Here's what's happening and what to do 👇

06/08/2026

Parent PLUS borrowers: the "legacy provision" is the most confusing thing we've seen parents asking about.

If your kid is currently enrolled and you've previously borrowed federal loans for their program of study, you can keep using the OLD Parent PLUS borrowing limits for the rest of their degree. But they must stay in the same program.

However, if you borrow again after July 1, even though you're uncapped, you ARE subject to the repayment plan changes. That means Standard only. No IBR. No PSLF.