🟫 Student Debt, Tuition & College Access
A guide to advocacy groups fighting for affordability, access, and relief
These groups advocate for affordable higher education, student debt cancellation, and equitable access to college for all—especially low-income, first-generation, and marginalized students. They push for policy reforms, educate the public, organize direct action, and provide tools for borrowers to demand relief and systemic change.
About These Advocacy Group Guides: I’ve created more than 60 issue advocacy guides to help people connect with effective organizations and take meaningful action. If you’re interested in other issues, you can explore them all here: Advocacy Groups by Issue.
Student Borrower Protection Center
A leading nonprofit focused on protecting student loan borrowers through research, policy reform, litigation, and government oversight. Offers action tools, reports, and borrower guidance.
A debtor's union fighting for full student debt cancellation and economic justice. Organizes debt strikes and mass actions and provides political education and organizing tools.
National Consumer Law Center – Student Loan Borrower Assistance
Offers legal advocacy and practical tools for borrowers facing hardship, default, or unfair practices. Influential in shaping fair lending policy.
Center for Responsible Lending – Student Lending
Works to eliminate abusive student lending practices, especially those harming low-income and minority borrowers. Provides research and policy expertise.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) – Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Union-led initiatives supporting debt relief and forgiveness for educators and public service workers. Offers tools, policy advocacy, and member resources. AFT Washington based in Seattle.
NAACP – Student Debt & Education Equity
Advocates for student loan relief and college affordability as civil rights and racial equity issues. Focuses on the disproportionate debt burden carried by Black students. Includes an active Washington chapter in Seattle.
Leads youth-driven campaigns on student loan forgiveness and college affordability. Its website is temporarily down, but it remains active on Facebook.
The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs (Temple University)
Focuses on meeting students’ basic needs—like housing, food, and tuition—to ensure access and completion. Offers research, tools, and policy guidance.
Education Trust – Higher Education
Promotes racial and economic equity in higher education access, affordability, and success. Engaged in advocacy to reduce barriers and debt.
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
Works to improve the delivery of student financial aid and influence federal policy to increase affordability and access. Includes members at most Washington colleges and universities.
New America – Higher Education Initiative
Provides timely research and policy proposals on college access, student debt, repayment reform, and equity in postsecondary education.
Top Related Issues
Economic Equity & Stability: Student debt is a barrier to financial freedom, savings, and homeownership.
Education Equity & Opportunity: Disparities in access to college and outcomes by race and income.
Youth & Intergenerational Justice: Debt burdens younger generations with structural inequality.
Labor Rights & Fair Pay: Wages haven’t kept pace with tuition, making debt harder to repay.
Racial Justice & Systemic Inequality: Black and Latino students take on more debt and repay less over time.
Women's Rights & Economic Justice: Women hold a disproportionate share of student debt.
Voting Rights & Civic Engagement: Youth voter turnout linked to student debt and education issues.
Public Services & Civil Service Protection: Access to and expansion of loan forgiveness for public service careers.
Banking, Finance & Corporate Accountability: Regulation of loan servicers and private lenders.
Higher Education Reform: Broader structural changes to college financing, governance, and accountability.