Education

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit alleging Columbia and other universities coordinated on financial aid A federal judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit claiming Columbia University, dozens of other private universities, and the College Board coordinated to inflate tuition costs for students from divorced families. According to the Columbia Spectator, Maxwell Hansen, a student at Boston University,…

Trump administration reviews plan to sell parts of $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio The Trump administration is examining a plan to transfer management of portions of the federal government’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to private investors, according to a Politico report. Senior officials from the Department of Education and the Treasury have met…

Vice President JD Vance on Sunday warned that the federal workforce would face deeper cuts the longer the government shutdown continues, adding uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of employees already furloughed without pay.The shutdown entered its 12th day, with Vance describing the coming reductions as “painful,” even as the administration worked to ensure military personnel…

Trump’s 5% country cap on international students The White House has floated a funding-linked “compact” to a short list of elite universities: Accept a package of conditions and enjoy preferred access to federal money. Among those conditions, the most combustible for Indian families is a double cap on international undergraduates—no more than 15% of the…

Education Department cuts 20% of staff amid shutdown, risking student support. (AP Photo) The US Department of Education has laid off over 460 employees, cutting roughly 20% of its workforce amid the ongoing government shutdown. The move comes as the department struggles to maintain services after earlier rounds of staff reductions and amidst an extended…

Harvard launches $13K DEI certificate on bias and privilege: Is it worth the investment? (AP Photo) Harvard University has introduced a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) certificate programme priced at $13,760. The course aims to equip students with skills to recognise bias and privilege and develop strategies to address real-world organisational challenges related to…

Carnegie Mellon cuts 75 SEI staff as US research funding shifts. (Getty Images) Carnegie Mellon University has laid off 75 employees at its Software Engineering Institute (SEI), representing 10% of the institute’s workforce, amid growing concerns over changes to federal research funding. The reduction follows financial challenges tied to shifting funding priorities in Washington, according…

How new California laws protect immigrant students amid rising federal immigration actions. (AI Image) California has enacted new laws aimed at protecting the privacy of immigrant students amid increasing federal immigration enforcement. These measures restrict immigration officials’ access to schools and prohibit sharing sensitive student information without a judicial warrant.The moves come as Democratic-led states…

US student visa drop hits India harder than China, here’s how it affects international students. (AI Image) The number of international student arrivals to the US dropped significantly this August, with China receiving more than double the number of student visas compared to India. Preliminary data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office indicates…

UPPSC prelim attendance falls below 45 percent for second year in a row. (AI Image) More than 3.6 lakh candidates failed to appear for the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) Preliminary Examination, marking a significant drop in attendance for one of the state’s most sought-after competitive exams. Of the total 6,26,387 candidates who applied…