Education Department Axes Old International Rules
Published Date: 7/1/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Department of Education wants to cancel the current rules for International Education and Fulbright-Hays programs to stay flexible and better match today’s education and workforce needs. This change affects schools and organizations involved in these programs and aims to help the Department update priorities without being tied down by old regulations. People have until July 31, 2026, to share their thoughts before the change happens.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Rescind Title VI and Fulbright-Hays Rules
The Department of Education proposes to rescind the International Education (34 CFR parts 655, 656, 657, 658, 660, 661, and 669) and Fulbright-Hays (34 CFR parts 662, 663, and 664) regulations so ED can exercise broader discretion to implement these programs and align them with current priorities such as workforce readiness and national competitiveness.
Selection Criteria Moved to EDGAR
ED proposes removing prescriptive program-specific selection criteria (for example, 34 CFR 655.31) and aligning competitions with the Department’s general selection criteria found in 34 CFR 75.210 (EDGAR), which ED says will reduce burden on applicants and peer reviewers.
Department May Use Non-Grant Delivery Vehicles
The Department states that rescinding the regulations would allow it to pursue non-grant delivery options (such as contracts and subgrants), which could eliminate grant-specific costs like peer review and grantees' indirect costs.
Small Increase in Applications; Minimal Costs
ED expects a small increase in annual applications to Title VI and Fulbright-Hays competitions because of added flexibility; any additional costs would likely be minimal (for example, securing extra application readers) and paid from program funds, and ED expects no additional costs to grant recipients.
Small Entities Unlikely To Be Significantly Impacted
The Department certifies under the Regulatory Flexibility Act that rescinding these regulations would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; it notes that entities qualifying as small (e.g., some nonprofits or community colleges) made up less than 5 percent of FY 2024 grant recipients.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this federal register document and every other regulation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2025-15665 — William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program
The government wants to change the rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to stop people working for shady employers from getting loan forgiveness. This means if your job is with an organization involved in serious illegal activities, you won’t qualify for loan help anymore. These changes protect taxpayers and make sure the program is fair, coming soon to keep things on the up and up.
2026-13286 — Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand- Driven Workforce Pell: Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability
Starting July 1, 2027, colleges must prove their programs help students earn enough money to keep getting federal student loans. This new rule affects schools offering Direct Loans and aims to stop loans for programs where graduates don’t make enough. Some parts kick in earlier on August 31, 2026, so schools better get ready to show they’re helping students succeed in the workforce!
2026-13178 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Revocation of Consent To Share Federal Tax Information Form
The Department of Education wants to keep using a form that lets people cancel their permission to share federal tax info. This extension won’t change the form but gives folks a chance to comment by August 31, 2026. If you’re involved with federal student aid or tax info sharing, this affects you—no new costs or big changes, just a smooth continuation.
2026-13179 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Application
The Department of Education is updating the form people use to split their joint student loan. This change affects borrowers with joint consolidation loans and aims to make the process clearer and easier. You’ve got until July 30, 2026, to share your thoughts, and about 20,000 folks use this form each year.
2026-12972 — Reopening or Extension of Application Deadline Dates; Applications for New Awards
The Department of Education may give extra time or reopen grant application deadlines for people affected by major disasters. This helps those in disaster-hit areas get a fair chance to apply for funding, usually adding up to five extra business days. These changes only affect eligible applicants in the disaster zones and could shift related review deadlines too.
2026-12966 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) Promissory Notes and Related Forms
The Department of Education is updating the forms for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, which affects students, schools, and loan servicers. They want your feedback by July 27, 2026, to make sure the forms are clear and easy to use without causing extra hassle. This update aims to keep the loan process smooth and efficient for over 12 million annual responses.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-13239 — Data Reporting Requirements for Certain Event Contracts
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is proposing new rules that change how certain event contracts must report their data. This affects markets, brokers, and clearing members who deal with fully backed event contracts, shifting them to a new reporting system. Comments on these changes are open until July 31, 2026, and the update aims to make reporting clearer without adding extra costs.
Next: 2026-13261 — List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC International, Inc., MAGNASTOR[supreg] Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1031, Amendment Nos. 16 and 17 and Revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 Through 16
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is updating the rules for storing used nuclear fuel with NAC International’s MAGNASTOR system. These changes allow new ways to check canister space and helium levels, plus fix a design error related to fuel cladding strength. If you’re involved in nuclear fuel storage, you can comment on these updates until July 31, 2026, with no extra costs expected.