What 3 credit ratings agencies forecast for higher ed in 2026

Fitch Ratings, S&P Global and Moody's Ratings all predicted a tough year ahead, pointing to deteriorating financial conditions and heightened uncertainty.

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 5, 2026

Will higher education researchers leave for opportunities abroad?

As the Trump administration cuts funding to wide swaths of research, foreign countries are ramping up their efforts to recruit top U.S. talent. 

By Danielle McLean • Jan. 5, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Artificial Intelligence

As AI continues its forward march in education and the workplace, colleges are grapplling with how best to incorporate the emerging technology into admissions, courrsework and elsewhere

By Higher Ed Dive staff

Cancellation of mental health grants ruled unlawful

A federal judge required the Education Department to reinstate the grants in 16 states and barred the agency from issuing new priorities for the programs. 

By Kara Arundel • Dec. 23, 2025

DOJ: Education Department’s race-based grants are unconstitutional

A legal memo said many of the agency’s grants for minority-serving institutions and students from underrepresented backgrounds are unlawful. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 22, 2025

UNC to require faculty to publicly post syllabi in 2026-27

The 16-campus system has faced conservative-led public records requests this year focused on diversity- and race-related instruction.

By Laura Spitalniak • Dec. 22, 2025

Trump administration appeals ruling in Harvard University case

The federal government seeks to overturn a decision against its previous roughly $2.2 billion freeze on Harvard University's research funding.

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 19, 2025

Lawmakers say advanced nursing should count as a ‘professional degree’

A group of lawmakers is pushing back on proposed regulatory language that would limit federal student loans for graduate nursing programs to $100,000.

By Sydney Halleman • Dec. 18, 2025

Trump expands travel bans and restrictions to 39 countries

Individuals in Nigeria — one of the countries sending the most foreign students to the U.S. — will not be able to receive student visas beginning Jan. 1.

By Laura Spitalniak • Dec. 17, 2025

Alabama faculty and students file appeal to block anti-DEI law

They contend the 2024 statute violates their First Amendment rights and is impermissibly vague about what speech it prohibits.

By Laura Spitalniak • Dec. 17, 2025

Education Department recognizes Grand Canyon University as a nonprofit

The move ends a six-year spat over the institution’s deep financial and operational ties to Grand Canyon Education, a for-profit services provider.

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 15, 2025

What’s at stake as the Trump administration targets Harvard’s patents?

Legal experts are watching whether the federal government will take the unprecedented step of seizing patents from federally funded research. 

By David Weisenfeld • Dec. 15, 2025

Federal judge denies request for 18-month delay in landmark borrower defense settlement

The U.S. Department of Education wanted more time to decide cases for borrowers promised decisions or automatic relief by the end of January.

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 12, 2025

DeSantis wants to give USF’s Sarasota campus to New College of Florida

The Florida governor's budget proposal would expand the liberal arts college, which he has sought to make a conservative blueprint for higher education.

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 12, 2025

Wisconsin public universities could start shedding programs more rapidly

A committee developed a new metric based on enrollment that could increase the number of degrees that get flagged for review. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 10, 2025

Pell Grant program faces up to $11B annual budget shortfall

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that expanding eligibility for the grants to short-term programs will add major new costs. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 10, 2025

Education Department adds ‘lower earnings’ warning to FAFSA

The agency will warn students when they’ve indicated interest in a college whose graduates have relatively low incomes.

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 8, 2025

Education Department outlines potential Workforce Pell regulations

A draft of regulatory language shares how programs as short as eight weeks could begin qualifying and remain eligible for Pell Grants.

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 5, 2025

Yale expects layoffs as leaders brace for $300M in endowment taxes

The Ivy League institution’s tax bill starting next year will be higher than what it spends on student aid, university officials said.

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 5, 2025

What would education’s omission as a ‘professional degree’ mean?

Without that designation, graduate or doctoral students would be limited to borrowing $100,000 for their programs. 

By Anna Merod • Dec. 5, 2025

[Podcast] EdTech Evolution

Explore how digital tools are transforming accessibility and engagement in today’s evolving higher ed landscape.

By Higher Ed Dive's studioID • Dec. 4, 2025

Education Department outsourcing is unlawful, amended lawsuit alleges

The agency said the move is meant to improve efficiencies for higher education and K-12 funding and services.

By Kara Arundel • Dec. 2, 2025

What’s in Northwestern University’s deal with the Trump administration?

The Illinois institution agreed to pay the federal government $75 million over three years and make key policy changes to have research funding restored.

By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 1, 2025

Education Department seeks delay in landmark borrower defense settlement

The agency said it needs more time to decide claims for nearly 200,000 borrowers who were promised decisions by January — or automatic relief. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Nov. 26, 2025

New international enrollment dipped this fall, NAFSA survey finds

The poll is the second released this month to show significant declines, especially in new foreign graduate students coming to the U.S.

By Ben Unglesbee • Nov. 26, 2025

Texas A&M committee sides with professor fired amid conservative furor

The interim leader of the public university will review the nonbinding report and make "a decision in the coming days or weeks," a spokesperson said.

By Laura Spitalniak • Nov. 25, 2025