{"id":13355,"date":"2026-03-25T08:24:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/?page_id=13355"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:03:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T13:03:06","slug":"upcoming-federal-changes-impacting-financial-aid","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/upcoming-federal-changes-impacting-financial-aid\/","title":{"rendered":"Upcoming Federal Changes Impacting Financial Aid"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<div class=\"container my-4 my-sm-5\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p class=\"lead mb-4\">On July 4, 2025, legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill\/H.R. 1- <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/1\/text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">An act to provide reconciliation<\/a>) was signed into law by President Trump. This act has implications for the administration of federally funded student aid starting on July 1, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Please note that final rules associated with the regulatory interpretation for the reconciliation bill have not yet been published. The information provided is based on the current interpretation of the law and may be subject to changes. As more information becomes available from the U.S. Department of Education, the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ will continue to monitor the development of the federal regulations associated with the bill and provide updates accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>*Unless otherwise stated, the effective date for changes below is July 1, 2026.<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"jumbotron jumbotron-fluid bg-faded\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container my-2 my-sm-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<section id=\"fafas-changes\" class=\"auto-section\" data-section-link-title=\"FAFSA Changes\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-4\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Changes<\/h2>\n<p>Exemptions of family farm and family-owned small business assets from the <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/help-center\/answers\/article\/what-is-sai\">Student Aid Index<\/a> (SAI) calculation reinstated and expansion of asset exemptions to family-owned commercial fisheries.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"jumbotron jumbotron-fluid bg-secondary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container my-2 my-sm-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<section id=\"pell-changes\" class=\"auto-section\" data-section-link-title=\"PELL Changes\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-4\">Pell Grant Changes<\/h2>\n<p>Foreign income must be included in the Adjusted Gross Income used to calculate Pell Grant eligibility.<\/p>\n<p>Students who receive grants or scholarships from non-federal sources covering their entire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/cost\/\">Cost of Attendance (COA)<\/a> are ineligible to receive a Pell Grant, even if otherwise eligible for the program.<\/p>\n<p>Prevents students from receiving Pell Grants if their <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/help-center\/answers\/article\/what-is-sai\">SAI<\/a> exceeds twice the maximum Pell Grant award.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"jumbotron jumbotron-fluid bg-faded\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container my-2 my-sm-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<section id=\"loan-changes\" class=\"auto-section\" data-section-link-title=\"Loan Changes\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-4\">Federal Student Loan Changes<\/h2>\n<h4>Undergraduate Students<\/h4>\n<p>Effective for the 2026-2027 aid year, the loan amounts for students who are enrolled less than <a href=\"https:\/\/registrar.ucf.edu\/enrollment-verification\/\">full-time<\/a> in any given semester are subject to a reduction of the loan amount for that term.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/plus-app\/parent\/landing\">Parent PLUS Loan<\/a> Annual Aggregate Loan Limit Changes- Parents may borrow $20,000 per year per dependent student with a $65,000 aggregate limit per dependent student.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Legacy Provision: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled in a program of study, the borrower can continue to borrow from the program for the shorter of 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential. For whichever timeframe is shorter, a parent may borrow under the current Parent PLUS Loan guidelines which include borrowing up to the student&#8217;s unmet Cost of Attendance with no aggregate limit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Graduate\/Professional Students<\/h4>\n<p>Effective for the 2026-2027 aid year, the loan amounts for students who are enrolled less than <a href=\"https:\/\/registrar.ucf.edu\/enrollment-verification\/\">full-time<\/a> in any given semester are subject to a reduction of the loan amount for that term.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-danger-aw\"><strong>The Graduate PLUS Loan Program will be eliminated effective July 1, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Legacy Provision<\/strong>: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled in their specific graduate program of study, the borrower can continue to borrow from the Graduate PLUS Loan program for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is less.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Annual loan limits of $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students. The aggregate limit is capped at $100,000 for graduate students and $200,000 for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/crs-product\/R48768\">professional students<\/a>, and excludes amounts borrowed as an undergraduate. <strong>The only professional program offered at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ based on the U.S. Department of Education definition is the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.).<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Legacy Provision<\/strong>: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled continuously in current graduate program of study, the current loan limits ($20,500 annual limit regardless of distinction between graduate and professional) continue to apply for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is less.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Lifetime borrowing limit of $257,500 on all federal student loans excluding Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS Loans.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Legacy Provision<\/strong>: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled continuously in current graduate program of study, the current loan limits ($138,500 for graduate students; and $224,000 for medical students) continue to apply\u201d for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is less.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<section id=\"repayment-changes\" class=\"auto-section\" data-section-link-title=\"Loan Repayment Changes\">\n<h2>Loan Repayment Changes<\/h2>\n<p>Loan repayment options will vary for current borrowers, who have no new loans after July 1, 2026, and new borrowers who have one or more loans made after July 1, 2026. The chart below outlines available repayment options:<\/p>\n<table class=\"table aligncenter\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;border: 1px solid #ccc\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2\">\n<td style=\"width: 20%;border: 1px solid #ccc\"><\/td>\n<th style=\"width: 20%;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Student loan borrowers with no new loans on or after July 1, 2026<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 20%;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Student loan borrowers with new loans on or after<br \/>\nJuly 1, 2026<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 20%;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Parent PLUS borrowers with no new loans on or after July 1, 2026<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 20%;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Parent PLUS borrowers with new loans on or after<br \/>\nJuly 1, 2026<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 20%;background-color: #f2f2f2;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Repayment plans<\/th>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Current 10\u2011year standard, graduated, extended, ICR, PAYE, IBR, Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) <em>(after July 1, 2026)<\/em><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Tiered standard, Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP)<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Current 10\u2011year standard, graduated, extended, ICR*<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Tiered standard<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Impacts of July 1, 2028 changes<\/th>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">If enrolled in ICR or PAYE, borrower must switch to an eligible plan before July 1, 2028, or will be moved into RAP<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">N\/A<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">If enrolled in ICR (meaning PLUS loans were consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan prior to July 1, 2026), borrower must switch into an eligible plan before July 1, 2028, or will be moved into IBR<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">N\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Eligible for PSLF?<\/th>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Yes, if enrolled in current 10\u2011year standard, ICR, PAYE, IBR, or RAP<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Yes, if enrolled in RAP<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Yes, if enrolled in current 10\u2011year standard, ICR*, or IBR**<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">No Eligible Plan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color: #f2f2f2;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Eligible for income\u2011driven repayment plan loan forgiveness (time\u2011based forgiveness)?<\/th>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Yes, if enrolled in ICR, PAYE, IBR, or RAP<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Yes, if enrolled in RAP<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">Yes, if enrolled in ICR* or IBR**<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\">No<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<section id=\"economic-hardship\" class=\"auto-section\" data-section-link-title=\"Economic Hardship Deferments\">\n<p class=\"text-danger-aw\"><strong><br \/>\nEffective July 1, 2027<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"background-color: #ffffff;font-size: 1rem\" href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/manage-loans\/lower-payments\/get-temporary-relief\">Economic Hardship and Unemployment Student Loan Payment Deferments<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\"> will not be available for new borrowers.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Borrowers with loans made on or before July 1, 2027, are still able to use these deferment options under the current rules. Once all a borrower\u2019s loans made prior to that date are paid in full, these options will cease to exist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Loans made on or after July 1, 2027, will be eligible for <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/manage-loans\/lower-payments\/get-temporary-relief\">forbearance<\/a> for up to nine months in any two-year period.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/section>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"jumbotron jumbotron-fluid bg-primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p>All information contained herein is tentative, pending final regulatory guidance from the US Department of Education.<br \/>\nFor further information or updates, please refer to the Federal Student Aid website: <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/announcements-events\/big-updates\"><strong>One Big Beautiful Bill Act<\/strong><\/a>.<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-13355","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Upcoming Federal Changes Impacting Financial Aid | Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Office of Student Financial Assistance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/upcoming-federal-changes-impacting-financial-aid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" 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