Yes. Starting in the 2026–27 academic year, students will no longer be eligible for a Pell Grant if their Student Aid Index (SAI) is greater than twice the maximum Pell award for that year. Pell award amounts will continue to vary based on income and family size, but there is now a firm cutoff tied to the annual Pell maximum. Guidance from the U.S. Department of Education detailing these changes can be found on (APP-25-23) 2026–27 FAFSA Form and Pell Grant Eligibility Updates.

Also, students who receive grants or scholarships from non-federal sources (state, private, institutional) covering their entire cost of attendance are ineligible to receive a Pell Grant, even if otherwise eligible.

There are some career and technical programs at Broward College that are now Pell-eligible under the new Workforce Pell Grant program. These details are awaiting approval by the governor of Florida and more information will be shared soon.

Federal Direct Loan amounts will be reduced proportionally for students enrolled less than full-time. Students registered for fewer than 12 credits may see a decrease in loan eligibility based on their actual enrollment level. 

Example: If you are enrolled half-time (6 credits), your Direct Loan eligibility may be roughly 50% of a full-time award.

You still need to be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours in order to be eligible for a federal student loan.

No. The new law does not change how students qualify for Federal Work Study. At this time, Work Study eligibility will continue to be based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Schools will still decide how much Work-Study funding is available and which students are offered it.

Generally, federal loan and aid changes under the new law will not affect your state or institutional scholarship(s). Institutional scholarships are awarded and renewed based on university policies and program criteria. However, if your total amount of scholarships fully covers your Cost of Attendance (COA), you may no longer be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, even if you meet other Pell Grant eligibility requirements.

For new borrowers, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces both annual and aggregate borrowing limits:

• Annual limit: $20,000 per dependent student per academic year
• Aggregate limit: $65,000 total per dependent student

As a reminder, a dependent student is an unmarried student under the age of 24 without children. Existing borrowers who have taken out federal student loans prior to July 1, 2026 are not affected by these new limits.

Yes. If a student or parent borrower has any federal loans disbursed before July 1, 2026, the parent can continue to borrow under pre-July 1, 2026 annual and lifetime Parent PLUS loan limits for three academic years or the student's completion of their degree, whichever is less.

No. Current guidance says that students who withdraw or take a leave from their program will lose access to the legacy provisions immediately.

The new law replaces most existing income-driven repayment plans with a new framework for federal student loan repayment. Borrowers on one of the standard plans, will see no changes to repaying their loans. Borrowers on income-driven repayment plans must transition to a new repayment plan by July 1, 2028. After July 1, 2028, only two income-driven repayment plans will be available:

1. Tiered Standard Repayment Plan – a traditional repayment structure with fixed payments over time.
2. Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) – a new income-driven repayment plan that adjusts monthly payments based on your income.

If no selection is made by that July 1, 2028, they will be moved into RAP.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program will remain in place, and eligible borrowers can continue to work toward forgiveness. The new framework for federal student loan repayment outlined in the new law may make it easier for some borrowers to qualify, especially those with lower incomes. Further details on how PSLF will interact with the new framework are subject to pending rulemaking.