Federal investments in student aid enable millions of Americans to attend college each year and are critical to the long-term future of the nation. With additional federal student aid, students will know they can pursue their higher education goals even in uncertain times.

 

Contact Congress NOW to Oppose Cuts to Student Aid Programs

House Republicans wrote a budget reconciliation bill that will cut $349.1 billion over 10 years from higher education and reduce access to Pell Grants and student loans for undergraduate and graduate students.

For undergraduate students, the bill reduces access to Pell Grants and makes college more expensive for student loan borrowers by doing the following:

  • Making it harder for undergraduate students to qualify for Pell Grants by eliminating eligibility for Pell Grants for students who attend less than half-time; increasing the requirement for full-time credits from 12 to 15 hours; and ratably reducing Pell Grant awards for credits below 15 hours; and
  • Eliminating subsidized loans for undergraduate students, which means students will have to pay interest on their student loans while in school and graduate with higher student loan debt. Also, restrictions are placed on the Parent PLUS loan program, limiting the number of families who can utilize such loan and increasing the overall financial burden on low-income families.

For graduate students, the bill eliminates the Grad PLUS program, which ensures that graduate students who are pursuing advanced degrees can access needed student financial aid with lower interest rates and more favorable student loan repayment options. In particular, the elimination of Grad PLUS will have a disparate impact on graduate students enrolled in certain health professions such as medical and health sciences degrees to meet the shortage needs of our country. Some students will be forced to borrow in the private market, but others will either not qualify to borrow in the private market, will face much more expensive loan terms, or be asked for parents to cosign the loans.

It is critical that Congress hear your opposition to these cuts, and we ask that you tell your Representatives and Senators to oppose cuts to student aid in reconciliation.

Please contact your Representative and Senators today!