Flight Education Access Act

The Flight Education Access Act amends the Higher Education Act to increase federal student loan limits for students in eligible undergraduate flight education and training programs. It also adds new loan disclosure requirements and mandates data collection and reporting on program completion rates.

Sec. 2, Increase in Federal Student Loan Limits for Students in Flight Education and Training Programs: This section amends the Higher Education Act to require institutions to provide additional loan disclosures to eligible flight students, including principal, interest rate, monthly payments, estimated balance at repayment, and total loan cost. It also establishes new annual and aggregate loan limits for Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans for eligible students in undergraduate flight programs. Annual limits vary by dependency status and year of program completion, with aggregate limits of $111,000 for dependent students and $137,500 for independent students for Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and $65,000 for Stafford Loans. The section defines eligible programs as those offering commercial pilot training under part 141 of federal regulations, and requires the Secretary to annually calculate completion rates based on collected data, with programs needing a 70% completion rate after three years of data collection.

Sec. 3, GAO Report: Within two years of enactment, the Comptroller General must review the Act's implementation, including the number of participating institutions, student enrollment and demographics, loan program participation, and institutional feedback. The GAO must develop recommendations for the Department of Education and submit a report to specified congressional committees.

Sec. 4, Rule of Construction: Nothing in the Act shall be interpreted to repeal, amend, or affect any existing pilot training or qualification provisions under current law.

Sec. 5, Authorization of Appropriations: $3,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Education for each fiscal year from 2025 through 2035 to carry out the amendments made by this Act.