The Pew Charitable Trusts Student Borrowers Survey
Survey
Jul. 2021
Sample Size:
2,806
Demographics:
US adults
Topics:
Value
Affordability
Funding
Student Loans
Top Findings:
- Eighteen percent said they had student loans they borrowed for themselves and were responsible for paying. Ten percent said they had student loans they cosigned for someone else and were responsible for paying.
- 78% of borrowers said they had heard about the temporary payment pause.
- 81% of those who knew about it said they believed the protections applied to them.
- 63% of borrowers affected said they had been contacted by the U.S. Department of Education or a loan servicer about actions they could take during the pause, such as continuing to make payments, updating payment amounts, or changing repayment plans.
- 31% of those affected said they had enrolled in different repayment plans, consolidated their loans, continued making payments, or worked to get their loans out of default during the pause.
- And 52% of those affected by the pause said they were unsure when they would be required to resume payments.