Here’s How Trump May Reshape Higher Education in His First 100 Days
Matthew Arrojas
January 16, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump may very well spend his first 100 days in office reversing Biden-era higher education policies.
Incoming President Trump will likely look to reinstate many of his previous higher education priorities.
The landscape has changed, however, meaning new actions could be incoming.
Trump’s plans for federal financial aid and student loan programs will impact millions of current and former college students.
Donald Trump will soon assert control over the Department of Education (ED) again, promising to enact changes sure to shake up the U.S. higher education system.
The president-elect didn’t often highlight his higher education agenda on the campaign trail, but his actions during his first term in office hint at possible plans to come.
The higher education landscape has also changed substantially since his first term, underlined by President Joe Biden’s reversal of many Trump-era regulations.
It remains to be seen whether his nominee to oversee ED, businesswoman Linda McMahon, will be confirmed, but higher education experts told BestColleges they expect Trump to be active in higher education policy within his first three months in office.
One priority for ED during the first months of the Trump administration will be facilitating the release of this year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and the resumption of federal student loan repayment.
