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ARTICLE · 08 JANUARY 2026

What To Expect In 2026 For Higher Education

Jenner & Block LLP
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After a year of significant upheaval for higher education institutions, additional changes are on the horizon in 2026. The most recent Unified Agenda, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act...

United StatesConsumer Protection
Lauren J. Hartz
Lauren J. Hartz
Betsy Henthorne
Betsy Henthorne
Laurel Raymond
Laurel Raymond
Mary-Claire Spurgin
Mary-Claire Spurgin
Erica Turret
Erica Turret
Kevin Zhang
Kevin Zhang

After a year of significant upheaval for higher education institutions, additional changes are on the horizon in 2026. The most recent Unified Agenda, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and other developments mean additional changes for—as outlined below—civil rights enforcement, admissions, foreign gift reporting, accreditation, visa requirements and eligibility, grant funding, student loans, patent revenue, and student privacy. Understanding and anticipating these developments will help position institutions to navigate new compliance obligations and enforcement priorities in the year ahead.

I. KEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE

  • In the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, released by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) twice a year, federal agencies report on regulatory actions they plan to take over the next year. The Trump Administration released its Spring 2025 Unified Agenda on September 4.1 Inclusion in the Unified Agenda is not a

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