# 119-s-5403: Debt-Free College Act of 2026

119-s-5403, Debt-Free College Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5403
- As of: 2026-10-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5403
- Congress: 119
- Title: Debt-Free College Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-15
- Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-18

## Summary

**Debt-free in-state public college for eligible students.** This creates State–Federal partnerships that fund unmet financial need at in‑state public institutions, sets rules for state investment and tuition caps, creates a separate five‑year grant program for HBCUs and other minority‑serving institutions, and adds a defined Title IV eligibility path for Dreamer students.

## Cosponsors (9)

- Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2026-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- State grants for debt-free college: benefit, high. If enacted, the government would give states large grants to help make in‑state public colleges debt‑free. The bill authorizes $84 billion for FY2027 and funding through FY2027–FY2036 as needed. States would apply with a Secretary‑approved five‑year plan, must maintain recent state funding levels p…
- Dreamer students and federal aid: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would add a "Dreamer student" category for Title IV federal student aid. To qualify you would generally need to have entered the U.S. before age 16 and provide a list of U.S. secondary schools attended, unless the Secretary waives that rule for hardship. You would also need one…
- Grants for HBCUs and minority colleges: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would create five‑year grant awards to eligible HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and certain nonprofit minority‑serving institutions. The program authorizes $3 billion for FY2027 and funding through FY2027–FY2036 as needed. Ninety‑five percent of each grant would pay undergraduate unmet…
- How states count college funding: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would define how to calculate a State's "net State operating support" (NSOS) for public higher education. NSOS would count state and local money for operating costs and student aid, but subtract listed items like federal funds, out‑of‑state aid, capital outlays, and other exclu…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act
- 119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-5403 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5403)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-852)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5403 (as of 2026-10-18).