The Higher Education Act of 1965, more commonly known as the HEA, is a piece of legislation which was signed into law on November 8th,1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The HEA was a product of the civil rights movement, designed to level the playing field for all students in higher education. The main goal of the HEA was to provide financial assistance to students so they could enroll in college or trade school.

At its conception, the HEA included Title IV, which is made up of six parts, which are collectively known as the Higher Education Act of 1965. The first part of this act is what we now call the Pell Grant program, which provides need-based grants to students with financial hardship. The second part is the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), which provides additional grant aid to low-income students. Furthermore, the third part of the HEA created the College Work-Study Program (CWSP), which helps students with college tuition payments by providing employment opportunities to eligible students.

The fourth part of the HEA includes the Federal Perkins Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). These two loan programs provide fixed-rate loans to students from low-income households, with the goal of providing more affordable repayment options. The fifth part of the HEA created the William D. Ford Federally Direct Loan Program (FDLP), which allowed students to access loans directly from the U.S. Department of Education.

The sixth part of the HEA created Title IV Student Assistance, which provides grants and work-study programs to students. This section also ensures that all students have access to quality higher education, regardless of race or financial status. Additionally, this part of the HEA requires all eligible institutions of higher learning to comply with Title IV requirements to ensure this access.

The HEA was thoroughly amended through the Higher Education Act of 1972, the Education Amendments of 1976, the Higher Education Amendments of 1986, and the Higher Education Amendments of 1992. The Higher Education Act of 1965 is one of the most enduring pieces of legislation in the U.S., as it continues to be reauthorized every 5-7 years by Congress.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 has allowed countless Americans to enroll in college and take advantage of educational opportunities that may otherwise have been out of reach. Programs such as the Pell Grants and Stafford Loans provide financial aid and ensure the accessibility of higher education for those who would not have had it without the HEA. The passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965 was a major event in U.S. history, and it has revolutionized the way we view education and college access.