The National Student Legal Defense Network (Student Defense) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works to advance students’ rights to educational opportunity and to ensure that higher education provides a launching point for economic mobility.

Student Defense was created in 2017 by former U.S. Department of Education officials who were deeply concerned that federal higher education policies were moving in the wrong direction, especially on the critical issues of student debt and consumer protection. Our focus spans the entire student lifecycle, from recruitment and supporting students' basic needs to educational quality to completion to student loan repayment.

Through policy research, litigation, and advocacy, we work to protect students and promote accountability in higher education. Student Defense is particularly focused on representing students from low-income backgrounds, communities of color, veterans, and women (especially single mothers), who are often disproportionately harmed in the process. We also advocate for enhanced oversight by state agencies, the federal government, and higher education accreditors.