Policy Recommendations: Reducing Student Debt

AAUW supports the following measures to lower the student debt burden on women and their families:

• Protect and expand Pell Grants for low-income students to reduce the amount of student loan debt they have to take on to complete a degree.  
• Increase funding for public colleges and universities and support efforts to move toward tuition- and debt-free options for students. 
• Make it easier for students to enroll in income-driven repayment options. In addition, student loan borrowers should have protections from abusive and fraudulent practices by schools, lenders and loan servicers. 
• Address both the academic and overall financial needs of students, such as access to child care and other non-tuition expenses.  
• For employers, provide employee matches and other forms of support for student loan debt repayment.