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Federal Financial Aid Changes


The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) (H.R.1) (“BBB”) was signed into law by President Trump in July 2025. Changes that impact federal financial aid are scheduled to be in effect starting July 1, 2026.

At FIU, we are carefully reviewing these updates and will continue to share information as guidance becomes final. Our priority is to help you understand what may change and how to plan ahead.

Below is a summary of what students should know right now.

                     Undergraduate Students

Pell Grant 

  • The maximum Pell Grant amount is not changing. 
  • Part-time students will still be eligible. 
  • Students whose non-federal scholarships or grants fully cover their cost of attendance will no longer be eligible for Pell. 

Federal Direct (Stafford) Loans 

  • Annual and lifetime loan limits remain the same. 
  • If you are enrolled less than full-time (12 credits per term), your loan amount will be reduced based on your enrolled hours. 

Parent PLUS Loans 

  • Parents may borrow up to $20,000 per year per dependent student. 
  • The lifetime limit per student will be $65,000. 

Repayment Plans 

            Graduate and Professional Students

Annual and Lifetime Loan Limits 

  • Graduate students:
    • 20,500 per year
    • $100,000 lifetime limit
  • Professional students
    • $50,000
    • $200,000 lifetime limit
  • The bill currently defines professional students as those pursuing a degree in Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Law (L.L.B. or J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.), Theology (M.Div., or M.H.L.), and Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.). 

Graduate PLUS Loans

  • Eliminated if you begin a program after July 1, 2026.

These changes primarily affect students who begin borrowing on or after July 1, 2026. If you are currently enrolled or already borrowing federal loans, legacy provisions may allow you to continue under existing rules for a limited time- pending final rules. 

Loan Proration 

  • Graduate students enrolled less than full-time (9 credits per term) will have loans reduced proportionally. 

Repayment Changes 

  • The SAVE plan will be discontinued. 
  • A new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will be available. 
  • Forgiveness timelines may extend up to 30 years under certain repayment plans. 
  • Federal Loan Repayment Information can be found here: Loan Repayment Plans 

All information is subject to final guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. FIU’s Office of Financial Aid will provide updates as additional details become available. For further information or updates, please refer to the Federal Student Aid website: One Big Beautiful Bill Act 

Updated - March 3, 2026