January 29–30
Virtual
Advance your knowledge of an essential topic in higher education policy at our 2026 Federal Student Loan Debt & Repayment Boot Camp! This two-day virtual event is an opportunity to engage with experts and increase your understanding of a subject on every policymaker’s mind.
Scholarships are available. (See “Student Scholarships” below for more details).
Why Attend:
- Expand your knowledge of student loan borrowing and student loan debt
- Deepen your understanding of delinquency, default, forbearance, and deferment
- Learn from various perspectives on default mitigation
- Explore the federal student loan repayment programs
- Better understand the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program
At no additional cost, boot camp participants have the opportunity to earn a digital badge, a web-enabled version of a credential. Issued through Credly, badges can be added to participants’ LinkedIn profiles and social media platforms, as well as shared with current and future employers. Find more information under the “Digital Badge” tab below.
PNPI alumni get 10% off of their registration fee using the code “pnpialum.”
Boot camp participants typically include staff from nonprofit organizations, think tanks, and national associations, as well as public policy students interested in pursuing a career in federal higher education policy.
Student Registrant: $69
Must be a degree-seeking student at a federally accredited institution and must email a copy of student ID to pnpi@pnpi.org to verify student status and enrollment
Nonprofit/Government/Media Registrant: $149
Must register with a .org or .gov email address or send media credentials to pnpi@pnpi.org
General Registrant: $299
PNPI alumni get 10% off of their registration fee using the code “pnpialum.”
Participants who cancel their registration more than one week before the boot camp will receive a full refund, minus a small administrative fee. Participants who cancel their registrations less than a week before the boot camp will forfeit the entirety of their registration fee.
PNPI offers a limited number of scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students attending accredited institutions who demonstrate financial need and an interest in federal higher education policy. Eligibility is limited to students who can demonstrate that they are Pell Grant recipients or Pell-eligible (more below). Scholarships include: the boot camp registration fee, round-trip fare to/from Washington, D.C., and meals while in D.C.
Applications are due by Jan. 7, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements:
Must demonstrate financial need. Undergraduate students (at both two- and four-year institutions) must have received a Pell Grant for the most recent semester. Graduate students must have received a Pell Grant in their senior year of undergraduate studies verified by their financial aid award letter and demonstrate Pell eligibility for the most recent academic year verified by a family contribution of less than $6,655 on their Student Aid Report (SAR) from the U.S. Department of Education.
Must attend an accredited institution.
All majors/fields of study accepted, but candidates must demonstrate an interest in postsecondary education policy or practice.
Must commit to attending all sessions during the boot camp.
Scholarship recipients must commit to attending a networking dinner with PNPI staff.
PNPI is excited to provide our participants with a digital credential for participating in the Federal Student Loan Debt & Repayment Boot Camp. Offered on the Credly platform, digital badges can be displayed in email signatures, on electronic copies of a résumé, and on social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. There is no fee for the badge, and acceptance of the badge lies with the participant once it is issued by PNPI.
What are the benefits of PNPI’s digital badge?
Participants are provided with:
- A web-enabled version of their credential that can easily be shared online
- Labor market insights that relate skills to jobs
- A trusted method for real-time credential verification
The digital badge is ONLY available to participants who attend all of the boot camp sessions and submit a completed boot camp survey.
All badge earners will receive an email inviting them to claim their badge after the boot camp — accepting the badge is optional. You can read more about the badge here.
