What Student Loan Relief Looks Like Around the World

The US Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s flagship legislation that would have helped millions American students with their crushing federal student debt. Interest and payments on federal loans, which have been paused since March 2020, will resume in September.

The Biden administration says it will announce new steps to protect borrowers. Other countries have proposed support for borrowers struggling to repay their debt, but from Nigeria to Sweden to New Zealand, even countries that promise free tuition still expect school attendees to pay something. Examples from around the world show that forgiveness early in the repayment cycle isn’t likely — nor is it easy to get out of student debt once you're in it.