# What would happen if a large number of people defaulted on their student loan debt?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-large-number-of-people-defaulted-on-their-student-loan-debt/742288>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 6, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-large-number-of-people-defaulted-on-their-student-loan-debt/742288 "2016-01-06T02:32:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-large-number-of-people-defaulted-on-their-student-loan-debt/742288/21 "2016-01-11T19:10:42Z")

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> [@Carl\_Pham](#):
>
> A student loan is different. It can’t be discharged in bankruptcy…

Nitpick: both public and private student loans are dischargeable. They are different from most debts in that the debtor must show “undue hardship,” which is a higher standard than that required for other debt discharges.

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