Of course, the rules for student loans, including eligibility and interest rates vary with time, but generally speaking there is a certain level of publicly subsidized loans that do not bear interest until after graduating or other qualifying conditions.
Piggybacking on this discussion...
Currently, 9.1% of student loans are delinquent by 90 days or more. This is an 'asset class' (to the makers) of over $1.6Trillion. Size of junk mortgages in 2007? About $1T.
Ponderate upon this: what happens when those bad student loans go totally tits-up? <mr_rogers_voice>Can you say financial crisis? Sure. I knew you could.</mr_rogers_voice>
I would not get too preoccupied with blaming benefits that go to more regular people as compared to bank bailouts and bullshit like that.
I think your ponderationin' organ may be able to do with some calibration.

Those home loans circa 2007 were made to everyday people as well. When they went in arrears, it was mom and pop on street left holding the bags while the fat cats got bailed out. What makes you think it would be any different when student loans are defaulted upon in mass quantities?