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How Federal Policy Changes Impact Higher Education
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025. The bill includes significant changes to federal student financial aid. Several provisions became effective on July 1, 2026, and it will impact the 2026-2027 academic year.听
These changes include updates to:
- Federal student loan programs
- Repayment options for both current and future borrowers
- Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria
We understand these changes may raise questions and affect your financial planning and educational decisions.
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is actively monitoring guidance from the Department of Education and the Federal Student Aid Office, as additional implementation details are released. We will continue to update our website and communicate important information as it becomes available.
Our office remains committed to supporting students and their families throughout this transition. If you have questions or need assistance understanding how these changes may impact your financial aid, please contact our office.
If you receive scholarships or other financial aid that covers your Cost of Attendance (COA), recent changes under the OBBBA may affect your Pell Grant eligibility or award amount. If you have questions about your financial aid package, please contact our office.
Beginning with 2026-27 academic year all students with will have their loans prorated based on enrollment status, according to the student鈥檚 academic level. Undergraduate students that are enrolled in 12 units are considered full-time. Graduate students must be enrolled in 8 units to be considered full-time. Students must continue to meet the minimum half-time enrollment requirement based on their academic level to be eligible for student loans.
Undergraduate eligibility based on enrollment
| Undergraduate Enrollment (Units) | Percentage by Term |
| 12+ | 50.00% |
| 11 | 46.00% |
| 10 | 41.50% |
| 9 | 37.50% |
| 8 | 33.50% |
| 7 | 29.00% |
| 6 | 25.00% |
| <6 | Not Eligible |
Graduate eligibility based on enrollment
| Graduate Enrollment | Percent by Term |
| 8+ | 50.00% |
| 7 | 44.00% |
| 6 | 37.50% |
| 5 | 31.50% |
| 4 | 25.00% |
| <4 | Not Eligible |
Effective July 1, 2026, loan amounts for new Parent PLUS loan borrowers will be capped at $20,000 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $65,000 per dependent student.
Legacy Provision
Parents who have borrowed a Parent PLUS Loan prior to July 1, 2026, on behalf of a dependent student may continue to borrow up to the student鈥檚 Cost of Attendance (COA) minus all other financial aid for up to three more academic years or the remainder of the programs鈥� published program length at CSUDH, whichever is shorter but not to exceed June 30, 2029.
Parents of current credential students are extended the same legacy provision.
Effective July 1, 2026, new graduate student loan borrowers will be capped at $20,500 per academic year and a total lifetime aggregate of $100,000 (excluding undergraduate student loans).</p
Graduate PLUS Loan has been eliminated for newly enrolled graduate students.
Legacy Provision
If you borrowed a Federal Direct Loan before July 1, 2026, you will be allowed to borrow based on previous loan limits for p to 3 years OR until the end of your academic program, whichever comes first.
Continuing Graduate students may continue to borrow Graduate PLUS loans, up to the Cost of Attendance for a maximum of three additional years, as long as you remain enrolled in the same program during the 2026-2027 academic year. Additionally, you must have borrowed a federal student loan prior to July 1, 2026.
Students must remain enrolled in the same program of study at CSUDH. If you withdraw or start enrollment at a new institution, you will lose your legacy provision.
New borrowers are capped at a lifetime loan limit of $257,500, including student borrowing for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.
This cap applies to the total outstanding principal balance of your federal loans, which includes Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Grad PLUS loans.
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) is the primary income-based repayment option for new federal student loan borrowers.
Under RAP:
- Monthly payments are calculated based on a borrower's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).
- Borrowers are required to make a minimum monthly payment of $10.
- Monthly payment amounts are determined using the borrower's AGI and number of dependents.
- For married borrowers who file federal tax returns separately, income and dependents are evaluated individually when calculating the monthly payment.
- Borrowers who do not have an AGI, or whose AGI does not accurately reflect their current financial situation, may be required to provide income documentation to the Department of Education to determine their monthly payment amount.
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships encourages borrowers to review all available repayment options and visit the Federal Student Aid website for the most current information regarding federal student loan repayment.
For more information, visit California State University's page and the Federal Student Aid .