Clearing the path to higher education for those in need Any plan the Biden administration adopts would greatly enhance educational opportunities for community college students. But students should consider these additional steps to make higher education more affordable. By Valerie RobersonUpdated February 1, 2021, 3:00 a.m. Email to a Friend Heather Hopp-Bruce/Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe One of President Bidenâs first acts in office was to request the Department of Education to extend the pause on student loan payments through September. Many are urging Biden to go further by issuing an executive order canceling $50,000 from all student loan borrowersâ debt. The Biden administration has proposed several other initiatives to make higher education more affordable, including forgiving up to $10,000 in student debt and providing free undergraduate education to anyone whose family earns less than $125,000 per year.