LCU Fund for Women's Education

LCU Fund for Women's Education To clear the path for women in need to complete college by helping them pay their rent.

The new takes effect in summer 2026. Unlike previous income-driven plans that allowed $0 monthly payments for the lowe...
06/12/2026

The new takes effect in summer 2026. Unlike previous income-driven plans that allowed $0 monthly payments for the lowest-income borrowers, RAP requires a minimum $10 monthly payment and extends the forgiveness timeline to 30 years instead of 20 or 25.

For a social worker earning $42,000 a year in New York City, carrying $60,000 in debt, $10 a month isn't the problem.

The problem is 30 years of payments before any balance is forgiven, while rent goes up, childcare costs go up, and the salary doesn't.

The math doesn't work for the careers we're asking people to go into.

06/11/2026

Ruksana shares reflections on the past semester and the challenges of balancing school, work, and financial responsibilities while pursuing her degree. She also speaks candidly about learning to advocate for herself and ask for support when needed. Her experience mirrors that of many LCU Scholars, who navigate competing demands with resilience, determination, and a deep commitment to achieving their educational goals. Take a peek into the day-to-day realities of an LCU Scholar and the perseverance that drives their success.

Nearly three-quarters of all college students in the U.S. are now over 24, working, or have dependents. The idea of a ty...
06/08/2026

Nearly three-quarters of all college students in the U.S. are now over 24, working, or have dependents.

The idea of a typical college student as an 18- to 24-year-old still dependent on their parents is a persistent mischaracterization and one that shapes policy in ways that leave the actual majority of students without adequate support.

The enrollment cliff conversations dominating higher ed right now tend to focus on marketing and recruitment. The more urgent conversation is about retention. About what it takes to keep the students already enrolled, working, parenting, housing-insecure, debt-burdened, from disappearing before they finish.

That's the work that has been doing for over 25 years.

According to new data from the Urban Institute, participation rates across six major safety net programs range from unde...
06/05/2026

According to new data from the Urban Institute, participation rates across six major safety net programs range from under 20% to a high of 58%.

Millions of people who qualify for SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance aren't receiving it. Not because they don't need it, but because the systems are too hard to navigate.

For college students, it's already complicated. 1.1 million rely on SNAP. Another 2.2 million qualify but can't access it. Now new work reporting requirements and eligibility restrictions are set to make that harder.

Our scholars are working 30–40 hours a week, raising children, and managing financial aid and lease renewals at the same time. Benefits verification isn't a simple add-on. It's one more thing that falls through the cracks.

You can't focus on coursework if you're choosing between groceries and transportation. You can't show up if you're picking up an extra shift because your benefits were cut.

Food security is academic infrastructure. Closing the participation gap is too.

https://apps.urban.org/features/state-of-the-safety-net-data-tool/

Graduate students in nursing, social work, and public administration are now borrowing under new caps that frequently do...
06/01/2026

Graduate students in nursing, social work, and public administration are now borrowing under new caps that frequently don't cover what their programs actually cost.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” shut down the Grad PLUS program, which allowed students to borrow up to the cost of their degree. New limits will make it harder for lower- and middle-income borrowers to attend pricier graduate programs.

Our scholars are pursuing exactly those programs. Gateway degrees in fields the country desperately needs, and the financing system just got significantly harder to navigate.

Less access to borrowing doesn't mean fewer students attempt graduate school. It means more students attempt it with less support, and more fall out before they finish.

https://edsource.org/updates/federal-government-limits-borrowing-for-graduate-and-professional-students

Starting this year, Medicaid work requirements must be in place by December 31, 2026. SNAP work requirements are already...
05/29/2026

Starting this year, Medicaid work requirements must be in place by December 31, 2026. SNAP work requirements are already expanding. New community engagement requirements for Medicaid enrollees will result in millions losing coverage, and will place additional burdens on 3.5 million students enrolled in the program.

We've seen this before.

When administrative burden increases, eligible people lose coverage they're entitled to.

https://ticas.org/anti-poverty/reconciliation-2025-snap-and-medicaid/

On July 1, 2026, new rules take effect that give the Secretary of Education broad discretion to disqualify employers fro...
05/26/2026

On July 1, 2026, new rules take effect that give the Secretary of Education broad discretion to disqualify employers from Public Service Loan Forgiveness based on a "substantial illegal purpose", a term the administration defines for itself.

More than 2.5 million borrowers currently work at organizations that qualify for PSLF. These borrowers made a conscious choice to forego higher salaries to serve the public, with the expectation that the law would be honored.

62% of our scholars carry over $40,000 in debt. Most are pursuing exactly the careers PSLF was designed to support. Many chose those careers specifically because of the forgiveness promise.

That promise is now contingent on administrative discretion.

Nine months after the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" passed, researchers are still trying to quantify exactly what it will...
05/18/2026

Nine months after the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" passed, researchers are still trying to quantify exactly what it will cost higher education.

Here's what's already clear: some level of state funding cuts to public colleges is inevitable.

States are being forced to compensate for lost SNAP and Medicaid funding, and historically, higher education is the first place they look when budgets tighten.

For our scholars, women in New York City pursuing degrees in nursing, social work, education, and public administration, this is a direct threat to the institutions they attend and the aid they depend on. 54% of our current scholars rely on federal or state assistance to make ends meet. 39% have already felt the impact of recent federal cuts.

The downstream effects of this legislation are here.

05/11/2026

Housing support means more than keeping a roof overhead — it creates the time, space, and stability scholars need to pursue leadership, learning, and the future they’re working toward.

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244 5th Avenue, Ste 200
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10001

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+12126274555

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