Recently, national Native scholarship providers expressed their concerns about affordability and student access to higher education and programs.
The four organizations that make up the National Native Scholarships Providers—the American Indian College Fund, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the Cobell Scholarship Program (administered by Indigenous Education, Inc.), and the Native Forward Scholars Fund—voiced their disappointment regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate President Biden’s proposal to cancel billions of dollars in federal student loan debt.
The Court determined that the proposal was an overreach of executive power, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts stating that “a mass debt cancellation program of such significance required clear approval by Congress.”
Although sixteen million applications were approved, no debts were forgiven due to the legal challenge, and no additional applications were accepted.
A 2022 National Study on College Affordability for Indigenous Students, conducted by the National Native Scholarship Providers (NNSP), revealed that 64% of all Indigenous student college debt was in the form of student loans.
Furthermore, more than half of the Indigenous respondents reported college debt balances of $20,000 or less.
Without alternative avenues for debt forgiveness, the ruling will continue to burden many American Indian and Alaska Native scholars with college debt, adversely impacting their potential for success after college, especially following a pandemic that disproportionately affected Tribal communities.
Native Forward, in collaboration with three Native scholarship providers, release the first-of-its-kind National Study on College Affordability for Indigenous Students.
Read the full study here: https://t.co/nmTLdygaB9.#NativeForward #Research #NativeTwitter #NativeEducation pic.twitter.com/frxCQN8tQn
— Native Forward (@Native_Forward) August 19, 2022
Scholarships? 💸Visit https://t.co/moyzd0TU5l for scholarships, browse FAQs, & resources to support your higher education journey. Explore open scholarships on our easy-to-use Scholarship Finder #NativeForward #NativeHigherEducation #Scholarships pic.twitter.com/Sls4SEUIWv
— Native Forward (@Native_Forward) November 14, 2024
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