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College Financial Aid Clarity Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-6502| House 
| Updated: 1/21/2026
Lisa C. McClain

Lisa C. McClain

Republican Representative

Michigan

Cosponsors (3)
Donald Norcross (Democratic)Eugene Simon Vindman (Democratic)Young Kim (Republican)

Education and Workforce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "College Financial Aid Clarity Act of 2025" aims to standardize and clarify financial aid offers provided by institutions of higher education. It mandates that the Secretary of Education develop specific requirements for the formatting and content of these offers, ensuring greater transparency for students and their families. Beginning July 1, 2029, institutions receiving federal financial assistance must adhere to these new standards for all financial aid offers, whether paper or electronic. This includes providing detailed information on estimated costs, grant and scholarship amounts, and loan specifics, using consistent terminology throughout all communications. Key information required in offers includes the award year covered , annual cost of attendance , annual net price , and comprehensive details about loans , such as interest rates, fees, and repayment obligations. Institutions must clearly distinguish between grants/scholarships and loans, explicitly using the term "loan" and differentiating between subsidized and unsubsidized options. The bill also requires supplemental content, such as renewability conditions for aid, how outside aid might affect the offer, and links to federal resources like the College Financing Plan website. Institutions must also provide information on work-study opportunities and historical cost data for the program of study. To ensure clarity, offers must be titled "Financial Aid Offer," use plain language, and present information in a consistent, easy-to-understand format. The Secretary of Education is tasked with conducting consumer testing with various stakeholders, including students, families, and counselors, to inform the development of these requirements, which must be published by July 1, 2028. Furthermore, the bill amends the Higher Education Act to ensure that institutions comply with these new financial aid offer requirements as part of their program participation agreements for federal funding. It also refines the definition and disclosure of the "cost of attendance" to be more specific to individual programs of study, enhancing the accuracy of financial information provided to prospective students.

Bill Text Versions

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Timeline
Dec 9, 2025
Introduced in House
Dec 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Dec 11, 2025
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 11, 2025
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 10.
Jan 21, 2026
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 394.
Jan 21, 2026
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-460.
  • December 9, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • December 9, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.


  • December 11, 2025
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • December 11, 2025
    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 10.


  • January 21, 2026
    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 394.


  • January 21, 2026
    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-460.

Education

Employment and training programsGovernment information and archivesGovernment lending and loan guaranteesHigher educationStudent aid and college costsWages and earnings

College Financial Aid Clarity Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-6502| House 
| Updated: 1/21/2026
The "College Financial Aid Clarity Act of 2025" aims to standardize and clarify financial aid offers provided by institutions of higher education. It mandates that the Secretary of Education develop specific requirements for the formatting and content of these offers, ensuring greater transparency for students and their families. Beginning July 1, 2029, institutions receiving federal financial assistance must adhere to these new standards for all financial aid offers, whether paper or electronic. This includes providing detailed information on estimated costs, grant and scholarship amounts, and loan specifics, using consistent terminology throughout all communications. Key information required in offers includes the award year covered , annual cost of attendance , annual net price , and comprehensive details about loans , such as interest rates, fees, and repayment obligations. Institutions must clearly distinguish between grants/scholarships and loans, explicitly using the term "loan" and differentiating between subsidized and unsubsidized options. The bill also requires supplemental content, such as renewability conditions for aid, how outside aid might affect the offer, and links to federal resources like the College Financing Plan website. Institutions must also provide information on work-study opportunities and historical cost data for the program of study. To ensure clarity, offers must be titled "Financial Aid Offer," use plain language, and present information in a consistent, easy-to-understand format. The Secretary of Education is tasked with conducting consumer testing with various stakeholders, including students, families, and counselors, to inform the development of these requirements, which must be published by July 1, 2028. Furthermore, the bill amends the Higher Education Act to ensure that institutions comply with these new financial aid offer requirements as part of their program participation agreements for federal funding. It also refines the definition and disclosure of the "cost of attendance" to be more specific to individual programs of study, enhancing the accuracy of financial information provided to prospective students.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Dec 9, 2025
Introduced in House
Dec 9, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Dec 11, 2025
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 11, 2025
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 10.
Jan 21, 2026
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 394.
Jan 21, 2026
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-460.
  • December 9, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • December 9, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.


  • December 11, 2025
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • December 11, 2025
    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 10.


  • January 21, 2026
    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 394.


  • January 21, 2026
    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-460.
Lisa C. McClain

Lisa C. McClain

Republican Representative

Michigan

Cosponsors (3)
Donald Norcross (Democratic)Eugene Simon Vindman (Democratic)Young Kim (Republican)

Education and Workforce Committee

Education

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Employment and training programsGovernment information and archivesGovernment lending and loan guaranteesHigher educationStudent aid and college costsWages and earnings