One Big Beautiful Bill Act

• Any student who has an SAI that is twice the maximum Pell will not be Pell eligible.
• Students receiving scholarships that cover their full cost of attendance won’t be eligible for Pell.

The new regulations bring about several important modifications to the federal student loan options. Here are the most critical updates effective July 1, 2026:

Loan Limits

• If a parent is denied a Parent Plus loan, a dependent student can borrow up to an additional $4,000 in unsubsidized loans.
• If a student is not eligible for a subsidized loan, the total annual loan amount for the unsubsidized loan would be the combination of the subsidized and unsubsidized loan. This is dependent on their remaining aggregate loan eligibility.

If you are enrolled less than full-time, your annual loan limit will be prorated based on your enrollment intensity. This means the amount you can borrow in a given year will be proportional to the number of courses you are taking.

• If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan disbursed before July 1, 2026, while currently enrolled in a credentialed program, the borrower can continue to borrow under current loan limits for three academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is reached first.

• Current Graduate students can finish out their current program under the old loan limits, as well as have access to Graduate PLUS loans until the end of their academic program, or three academic years, whichever is first.

• Current borrowers are defined as those who have borrowed at least one Graduate PLUS or Direct Unsubsidized loan prior to July 1, 2026, and who will remain in the same academic program after July 1, 2026.

• If you switch to a different academic program, even within the same institution, this can place you in a new borrowing category. This means your loan limits and eligibility could be recalculated as if you were a “new borrower,” even if you previously qualified as a “current borrower” under your former program.

• Federal guidance suggests that the definition of “professional degree programs” is being refined and applied within a more precise regulatory framework.
• Initial draft regulations indicate a narrower interpretation of what qualifies as a “professional degree,” including programs such as:
  • Pharmacy (PharmD), Dentistry (DDS or DMD), Veterinary Medicine (DVD), Chiropractic (D.C. or DCM), Law (LLB or J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Podiatry (DPM, D.P., or PodD), Theology (MDiv or MHL) and Clinical Psychology (PsyD or PhD). 

**Elizabeth City State University does not currently have any programs that are classified as a professional program. The designation of being a professional program is associated with a higher student loan limit.**

Federal rules require schools to check your enrollment status (full‑time, three‑quarter‑time, half‑time, etc.) each time your loan is disbursed. If you’re enrolled less than full‑time at that moment, your loan amount may be reduced.

If you increase your enrollment level after your loan has already been disbursed for the term:

• We will not issue an additional loan disbursement for that same term.
• Your enrollment will be reviewed again at your next scheduled disbursement, usually the next semester.
• If you qualify for more loan funds at that time, you may receive the additional amount then.

If you decrease your enrollment level after your loan has already been disbursed:

• We will not reduce your loan for that term, unless required by federal rules like Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4).
• This helps prevent unexpected charges on your student account.

• Your loan amount is based on your enrollment at the time of disbursement.
• Adding or dropping classes later in the term usually won’t change that term’s loan amount.
• Your next scheduled disbursement is when any changes may be reflected. If you’re thinking about changing your schedule, we encourage you to talk with the Financial Aid Office so you understand how it may affect your aid.