{"id":779,"date":"2026-05-29T09:49:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T13:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/?page_id=779"},"modified":"2026-06-01T09:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T13:48:10","slug":"federal-financial-aid-changes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal financial aid changes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-intro\">The 2026-27 academic year brings several important changes to financial aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-federal-financial-aid-changes-for-2026\">Federal financial aid changes for 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What Clark University students should know about upcoming federal aid changes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recent federal legislation, often referred to as the <strong>One Big Beautiful Bill Act<\/strong>, introduces several updates to federal student aid programs. Many of these changes will take effect beginning <strong>July 1, 2026<\/strong>, and may impact how students borrow federal loans or qualify for certain types of aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are researching FAFSA changes, federal student loan limits, or Pell Grant eligibility updates for 2026, the information below outlines what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Clark University, our priority is to help students and families understand these updates while continuing to identify affordable pathways to a Clark education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most importantly, <strong>federal financial aid is not going away<\/strong>. Students will continue to have access to grants, loans, scholarships, and other financial resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-federal-student-aid-changes-beginning-july-1-2026\">Key federal student aid changes (beginning July 1, 2026)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-federal-student-loan-changes\">Federal student loan changes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Graduate PLUS loan changes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Grad PLUS Loan program will be discontinued for new borrowers beginning July 1, 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Graduate students will continue to have access to Direct Unsubsidized Loans, with updated borrowing limits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For additional information on changes for graduate students, please review <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2026\/05\/What_Graduate_Students_Need_to_Know.pdf\">What Graduate Students Need to Know<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Parent PLUS loan changes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parent PLUS Loans will remain available for families of undergraduate students, but new limits will apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>$20,000 annual borrowing limit per student<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>$65,000 lifetime borrowing limit per student<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For additional information for current parents, please review the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2026\/05\/Parent_PLUS_Changes_Current_Parent_Borrowers.pdf\">Parent Plus Changes for Current Parent Borrowers.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For additional information for new fall 2026 students, please review the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2026\/05\/Parent_PLUS_Changes_New_Parent_Borrowers.pdf\">Parent Plus Changes for New Parent Borrowers<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Federal student loan lifetime limit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A new lifetime federal borrowing cap of <strong>$257,500<\/strong> will apply across most federal student loan programs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These updates primarily affect <strong>new loans borrowed after July 1, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pell-grant-eligibility-changes-2026-2027-fafsa\">Pell Grant eligibility changes (2026\u20132027 FAFSA)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2026\u20132027 FAFSA will include updated Pell Grant eligibility rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Students with a <strong>Student Aid Index (SAI)<\/strong> greater than twice the maximum Pell Grant may no longer qualify<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students whose total financial aid already meets or exceeds the full cost of attendance may not be eligible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These changes may impact eligibility depending on each student\u2019s FAFSA results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fafsa-calculation-updates\">FAFSA calculation updates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginning with the 2026\u20132027 FAFSA, updates to financial aid calculations will include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Additional forms of income may be considered in determining eligibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Certain foreign income may be included in Pell Grant calculations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Asset exemptions for family farms and small businesses will be reinstated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These updates are intended to improve how federal aid eligibility is assessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-clark-university-continues-to-support\">How Clark University continues to support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite federal policy changes, there are still many ways to fund your enrollment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students at Clark University may be eligible for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Federal grants, including the Pell Grant<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Federal student loans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Institutional scholarships and merit awards<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>State-based financial aid programs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Private scholarships and external funding opportunities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Clark\u2019s financial aid team works closely with students and families to maximize available resources and build a comprehensive financial plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-students-should-do-next\">What students should do next<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are preparing for college and have concerns about federal financial aid changes, consider the following steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complete the FAFSA each year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apply for scholarships as early as possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review your Student Aid Index (SAI) once your FAFSA is processed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connect with Clark University\u2019s financial aid office for personalized guidance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will federal financial aid still be available after 2026?<\/summary>\n<p>Yes. Federal aid programs such as Pell Grants and federal student loans will continue. The changes affect how aid is calculated and distributed, not whether it exists.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>When do these changes take effect?<\/summary>\n<p>Most updates will begin <strong>July 1, 2026<\/strong>, impacting the 2026\u20132027 academic year.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will the FAFSA change?<\/summary>\n<p><br>Yes. Updates will affect how income and assets are considered when determining eligibility.  Many small farms and businesses no longer have to list their farm or business assets on the FAFSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Are Parent PLUS Loans still available?<\/summary>\n<p>Yes, but with new borrowing limits beginning in 2026. The limit will be $20,000. Remember their is an origination fee of 4.228%<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Should I still complete the FAFSA?<\/summary>\n<p><br>Absolutely. Completing the FAFSA remains the most important step in determining eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-style-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Will Pell Grants be eliminated?<\/summary>\n<p>No. Pell Grants will remain available, though eligibility criteria will change.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-we-re-here-to-help\">We\u2019re here to help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding financial aid changes can be complex, but you don\u2019t have to navigate them alone. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/contact-us\/\">Connect with a financial assistance staff<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:2rem\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns contact-area is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:42%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover has-custom-content-position is-position-bottom-left\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-153\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/fin-aid-contact-area.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/fin-aid-contact-area.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/fin-aid-contact-area-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/fin-aid-contact-area-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/fin-aid-contact-area-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim wp-block-cover__gradient-background has-background-gradient has-gradient-2-gradient-background\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-cover-is-layout-639b5052 wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div style=\"color:var(--clarku-color-white)\" class=\"eyebrow has-drop-shadow has-text-align-left\">Contact information<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-drop-shadow has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-small-font-size wp-elements-a95423143e6311d9f2809e6a38a7c2fe\" id=\"h-office-of-financial-assistance\">Office of Financial Assistance<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group contact-text has-light-warm-gray-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Office location<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"icon map has-small-font-size\">Clark University<br>Office of Financial Assistance<br>950 Main Street<br>Worcester, MA 01610<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"icon tel has-small-font-size\">1-508-793-7478<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"icon fax\">1-508-793-8802<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"icon email has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"mailto:finaid@clarku.edu\">finaid@clarku.edu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Questions? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/contact-us\/\">Contact our financial assistance staff<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Book your virtual appointment with one of our counselors<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"arrow\"><a href=\"https:\/\/outlook.office.com\/bookwithme\/user\/6364b90ce3a94821b702825ce8b2bd21%40clarku.edu?anonymous&amp;ismsaljsauthenabled\" id=\"https:\/\/outlook.office.com\/bookwithme\/user\/6364b90ce3a94821b702825ce8b2bd21%40clarku.edu?anonymous&amp;ismsaljsauthenabled\">Dorothy Davidson<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"arrow\"><a href=\"https:\/\/outlook.office.com\/bookwithme\/user\/69e791d70bf647d199ef10a2158f3be2@clarku.edu?anonymous&amp;ismsaljsauthenabled&amp;ep=pcard\" id=\"https:\/\/outlook.office.com\/bookwithme\/user\/69e791d70bf647d199ef10a2158f3be2@clarku.edu?anonymous&amp;ismsaljsauthenabled&amp;ep=pcard\">Natasha Simmons<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/bookings.cloud.microsoft\/bookwithme\/user\/fc329293fc254ec4b1270a14c3901d4f%40clarku.edu?anonymous&amp;ismsaljsauthenabled\" id=\"https:\/\/bookings.cloud.microsoft\/bookwithme\/user\/fc329293fc254ec4b1270a14c3901d4f%40clarku.edu?anonymous&amp;ismsaljsauthenabled\">Joshua Streich<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2026-27 academic year brings several important changes to financial aid. Federal financial aid changes for 2026 What Clark University students should know about upcoming federal aid changes Recent federal legislation, often referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, introduces several updates to federal student aid programs. Many of these changes will take [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-779","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Federal financial aid changes | Undergraduate Financial Assistance | Clark University<\/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.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Federal financial aid changes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The 2026-27 academic year brings several important changes to financial aid. Federal financial aid changes for 2026 What Clark University students should know about upcoming federal aid changes Recent federal legislation, often referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, introduces several updates to federal student aid programs. Many of these changes will take [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Undergraduate Financial Assistance\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-01T13:48:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/\",\"name\":\"Federal financial aid changes | Undergraduate Financial Assistance | Clark University\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-29T13:49:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-01T13:48:10+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/\"]}],\"mainEntity\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-1\",\"0\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-2\"},\"1\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-3\"},\"2\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-4\"},\"3\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-5\"},\"4\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-6\"}}},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/wp-json\\\/wp\\\/v2\\\/pages\\\/779#breadcrumbs\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":0,\"name\":\"ClarkU\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Undergraduate Financial Assistance\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/\",\"name\":\"Undergraduate Financial Assistance\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-1\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-1\",\"name\":\"Will federal financial aid still be available after 2026?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Federal aid programs such as Pell Grants and federal student loans will continue. The changes affect how aid is calculated and distributed, not whether it exists.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-2\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-2\",\"name\":\"When do these changes take effect?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Most updates will begin <strong>July 1, 2026<\\\/strong>, impacting the 2026\u20132027 academic year.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-3\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-3\",\"name\":\"Will the FAFSA change?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Updates will affect how income and assets are considered when determining eligibility.  Many small farms and businesses no longer have to list their farm or business assets on the FAFSA.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-4\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-4\",\"name\":\"Are Parent PLUS Loans still available?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes, but with new borrowing limits beginning in 2026. The limit will be $20,000. Remember their is an origination fee of 4.228%\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-5\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-5\",\"name\":\"Should I still complete the FAFSA?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Absolutely. Completing the FAFSA remains the most important step in determining eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-6\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.clarku.edu\\\/financial-aid\\\/federal-financial-aid-changes\\\/#faq-6\",\"name\":\"Will Pell Grants be eliminated?\",\"answerCount\":\"1\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. Pell Grants will remain available, though eligibility criteria will change.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Federal financial aid changes | Undergraduate Financial Assistance | Clark University","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Federal financial aid changes","og_description":"The 2026-27 academic year brings several important changes to financial aid. Federal financial aid changes for 2026 What Clark University students should know about upcoming federal aid changes Recent federal legislation, often referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, introduces several updates to federal student aid programs. Many of these changes will take [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/","og_site_name":"Undergraduate Financial Assistance","article_modified_time":"2026-06-01T13:48:10+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/","url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/","name":"Federal financial aid changes | Undergraduate Financial Assistance | Clark University","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-05-29T13:49:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-01T13:48:10+00:00","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/"]}],"mainEntity":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-1","0":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-2"},"1":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-3"},"2":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-4"},"3":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-5"},"4":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-6"}}},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/779#breadcrumbs","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":0,"name":"ClarkU","item":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Undergraduate Financial Assistance","item":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/","name":"Undergraduate Financial Assistance","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-1","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-1","name":"Will federal financial aid still be available after 2026?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Federal aid programs such as Pell Grants and federal student loans will continue. The changes affect how aid is calculated and distributed, not whether it exists.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-2","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-2","name":"When do these changes take effect?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Most updates will begin <strong>July 1, 2026<\/strong>, impacting the 2026\u20132027 academic year.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-3","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-3","name":"Will the FAFSA change?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Updates will affect how income and assets are considered when determining eligibility.  Many small farms and businesses no longer have to list their farm or business assets on the FAFSA.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-4","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-4","name":"Are Parent PLUS Loans still available?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, but with new borrowing limits beginning in 2026. The limit will be $20,000. Remember their is an origination fee of 4.228%","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-5","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-5","name":"Should I still complete the FAFSA?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Absolutely. Completing the FAFSA remains the most important step in determining eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-6","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/federal-financial-aid-changes\/#faq-6","name":"Will Pell Grants be eliminated?","answerCount":"1","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Pell Grants will remain available, though eligibility criteria will change.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=779"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":821,"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/779\/revisions\/821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}