Protecting American Students Act

HR 1905, the Protecting American Students Act, modifies how private colleges and universities calculate whether they owe an excise tax on investment income. It specifies that only students meeting specific eligibility requirements under the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1091(a)(5)) can be counted toward the tax threshold, excluding others from the calculation. The bill also requires these institutions to report both the pre- and post-adjustment student counts on their tax returns. This affects private colleges subject to the investment income tax, changing their tax calculation method and adding reporting obligations starting in 2026. The bill does not directly protect students or alter student aid but adjusts tax compliance for educational institutions.