House Passes Bill to Strengthen Student Aid Fraud Prevention
Published June 15, 2026
By AACOM Government Relations
Advocacy Federal Policy Financial Aid OME Advocate
- On June 9, 2026, the House passed the No Aid for Ghost Students Act of 2026, H.R. 7892, by a vote of 249–172.
- Sponsored by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), the legislation seeks to address "ghost student" fraud, in which stolen or fabricated identities are used to apply for admission and federal student aid, enroll in courses and improperly obtain financial aid refunds.
- If enacted, the bill would require ED to use identity fraud detection tools to screen FAFSA applications and verify the identity of applicants flagged as high risk before aid is disbursed.
- The legislation follows recent federal efforts to strengthen oversight of the student aid system, including the implementation of enhanced fraud detection measures for FAFSA applications.
- For more information, view the House Committee on Education and Workforce one-pager on the bill.