U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett said the federal government will contribute $15.2 billion to student financial assistance this year, despite Congress’ continuous battle with the “default issue.”

Default is the failure to repay a student loan according to terms agreed to when signing a promissory note, Bennett said. The note is a legal document listing conditions under which money is borrowed and the terms by which the loan should be paid back.

Jerry Augsburger, NIU financial aid director, said in a previous interview that less money is available for financial aid when people default on student loans.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, a school has several options when pursuing those who have defaulted on loans.

A school has a right to sue a student and ask the federal government for help in collecting the unpaid funds. A school also can request an entire repayment, including all interest and late payment charges.

The school or the federal government also will notify credit bureaus of the default, which may affect a student’s future credit rating.

The Internal Revenue Service also may withhold income tax refunds and apply them toward the unpaid loan.

The U.S. government will spend about $309 billion for education this year. The education department estimates that more than 12 million people in this country continue their education after high school.

This country enrolls twice as many students in higher education as the U.S.S.R., 10 times as many as France and 15 times the total in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

May 1 is the final deadline for submitting financial aid materials to the NIU financial aid office. The office labeled March 1 as a preferred deadline so students receive a response prior to receiving their fall 1989 tuition bills.