Recent Federal Student Aid Updates

Beginning with upcoming federal regulations, your federal student loan eligibility may be calculated based on how many credits you take — not just whether you are enrolled. This is a significant change that affects part-time students most directly.

What to do:
If you plan to take fewer than 12 credits, contact the Financial Aid Office to understand how your loan offer may be affected before registering for classes.

Back to Top

The U.S. Department of Education is strengthening identity verification procedures to protect students from financial aid fraud. You may be asked to complete additional steps during the FAFSA or financial aid process.

• Video identity verification.
• Notarized identification documents.
• Approved identity verification vendors.
• Expanded identity verification reviews.

If you receive a request to verify your identity, respond promptly — delays may hold up your financial aid disbursement.

Back to Top

Several improvements are being developed to make the FAFSA process faster and easier for students and families.

• Real-time processing — Real-time processing
• Simplified renewal FAFSA — with pre-populated information from your previous year
• Improved processing — for families with multiple students in college
• Enhanced system tools for financial aid offices to reduce delays

Back to Top

Federal guidance includes a reminder about a Pell Grant eligibility threshold that students should be aware of.

Important: Students may NOT qualify for a Pell Grant if their Student Aid Index (SAI) equals or exceeds twice the maximum Pell Grant award, except in certain special eligibility situations. This standard ensures Pell Grants continue to support students with the greatest financial need.

If you are unsure about your SAI or whether this threshold affects you, speak with a financial aid counselor for a personalized review.

Back to Top

Recent FAFSA updates restore asset exemptions that could benefit some families. Reporting fewer assets may lower your Student Aid Index (SAI) and increase eligibility for need-based financial aid.

• Family-owned small businesses with 100 or fewer employees
• Family farms
• Commercial fishing businesses

If your family owns any of these, review your FAFSA carefully — you may no longer need to report these assets, which could improve your aid eligibility.

Back to Top

A new federal initiative may expand Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in qualifying short-term career training programs — even if those programs are shorter than a traditional semester.

This expansion is designed to open financial aid access to more students pursuing certificates and career-focused training programs.

Back to Top

Many of the updates described in this document are not yet finalized. Proposed regulations must go through a formal federal rulemaking process before they take effect.

• Proposed regulation (Status: Complete)
• Public comment period (Status: In Progress)
• Final rule issued (Status: Not Started)
• Effective date (Status: Not Started)

Because these are proposed regulations, some details may change before they become final. The Financial Aid Office will provide updates as new guidance is released.

Back to Top