WASHINGTON—Today, Sen. Mike Braun and Sen. Tim Kaine introduced legislation to allow students engaged in distance learning at an international higher education program to retain student aid if those institutions have any distance education learning blended into the coursework. Under current law, a provision that enabled students to utilize federal aid to engage in distance learning at foreign institutions is set to expire on June 30, 2023.
“Without legislative action, nearly 30,000 American students from 400 institutions who rely on student aid may lose out on the opportunity to engage in international study. The Providing Distance Education for Foreign Institutions Act is a bipartisan measure that will allow students to retain their student aid and continue their studies abroad.”—Sen. Braun
“One thing we learned during the pandemic is the value of high-quality online learning programs. While the worst of the pandemic is behind us, these programs continue to be a key tool for higher education institutions. This bill is a commonsense reform to help ensure that American students attending international universities remain eligible for federal financial aid if their coursework includes online components.”—Sen. Kaine
This bill amends the Higher Education Act to allow American students that study at recognized foreign institutions to retain student aid if those institutions have any distance education learning blended into the coursework if:
- No more than 12.5% of such program consists of courses offered through distance education
- The foreign institution has been evaluated and determined to have the capability to effectively deliver distance education programs
- The students receiving aid under this title are physically present in the country where the foreign institution is located during the distance education instruction
Full bill text for the Providing Distance Education for Foreign Institutions Act here.
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