Announcements and Deadlines
Recent Announcements
Our office will be closed the following days:
- Wednesday January 1
- Monday January 20
- Moday March 31
- Monday May 26
- Thursday June 19
- Friday July 4
- Monday September 1
- Tuesday November 11
- November 27 and 28
- December 25 - January 1
Financial Aid Deadlines
- October 1st (every year): FAFSA and California Dream Act applications open
- March 2nd (every year): Priority filing deadline for FAFSA and California Dream Act
For the 2025-2026 academic year:
- The priority filing deadline for FAFSA and California Dream Act is April 2nd, 2025.
- April 26th, 2025: Priority document completion deadline.
For more information, see the Seven Steps to Financial Aid.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025. It brings significant changes to how students and families pay for college, starting July 1, 2026. Those changes, as we know them currently, are summarized below by type of aid.
As the Department of Education (ED) releases further guidance and finalizes the rules, we will continue to update this page with the most accurate and actionable information available. We understand that students, families, and others have questions, and we are here to help.
Undergraduate and Graduate Loans
Federal loans borrowed in the student's name which must be repaid after graduation
or if they drop below less than half-time enrollment status or leave school.
What's Changing on July 1, 2026
- The Grad PLUS Loan program will be discontinued and unavailable for new borrowers.
- Legacy Provision: Students with a Grad PLUS Loan disbursed before July 1, 2026, may continue borrowing under existing Grad PLUS Loan rules for up to three more academic years or until their program ends - whichever comes first.
- Borrowing limits will now be capped as follows:Undergraduate: no changes
- Graduate (unsubsidized only): $20,500 per year, up to $100,000 lifetime
- Total lifetime borrowing limit for all federal student loans (except Parent PLUS): $257,500
- Enrollment Status: If enrolled less than full-time, loan eligibility (annual amount) will be prorated (reduced).
What This Means for You
- Current Grad PLUS borrowers: If your loan is disbursed before July 1, 2026 (for academic year 2025-2026), you may keep borrowing under the old terms for up to 3 more academic years or until your program ends, whichever comes first.
- Prospective graduate students: Grad PLUS Loans won't be available starting with the 2026-2027 academic year. Students with financial need will still be eligible for federal unsubsidized Direct Loans (within the new caps), scholarships, savings, or private loans.
- All graduate students: Connect with our office for one-on-one guidance on how these changes may affect you.
Parent PLUS Loans
These federal loans are borrowed by parents to help pay for a child's undergraduate
education. Parents - not students - are responsible for repayment.
What's Changing on July 1, 2026
- Parents may borrow up to $20,000 per year, with a $65,000 lifetime maximum per student.
- Legacy Provision: Parents who borrowed before July 1, 2026, may continue borrowing under existing Parent PLUS Loan rules for up to three more academic years or the student completes their program ends - whichever comes first.
- Enrollment Status: PLUS Loan eligibility is tied to the student's cost of attendance and enrollment level. If a student is enrolled less than full-time, the PLUS loan amount borrowed will be prorated (reduced).
What This Means for You
- Current Parent PLUS borrowers: You may still borrow under the old rules for the length of the Legacy Provision (see above).
- New Parent PLUS borrowers: Be aware of the new caps listed above. Families may need to plan for additional funding sources, including subsidized and unsubsidized student loans, and private loans.
Repayment Plans for Student Borrowers
After a student graduates, drops below half-time enrollment status, or leaves school,
they are required to repay their federal student loans under a chosen repayment plan.
We encourage any borrower who is currently in repayment of their federal loans to contact their loan servicer and discuss how these changes may impact their situation. This website provides a high-level overview, and there may be other details a current borrower in repayment will want to consider before deciding how to proceed.
What's Changing on July 1, 2026
- Some existing repayment plans will end (ICR, PAYE, and SAVE).
- A new income based repayment plan (Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP) will be created.
Payments under this plan will be determined based upon several factors:
- payments may be as low as $10/month,
- adjusted for dependents,
- and possibly forgiven after 30 years of payments.
- A new standard repayment plan will be created. Payments under this plan will have four fixed terms of 10, 15, 20, or 25 years (based on the amount borrowed).
What This Means for You
- Current Borrowers: If no new loans are made on or after July 1, 2026, you are eligible
to enroll in the current Standard, Graduated, Extended, or income based (IBR) repayment
plan, or you may opt into the new RAP.
- If you are currently enrolled in ICR, PAYE, or SAVE, you must transition to a different repayment plan by July 1, 2028, (either current income based repayment plan, current standard plan, or RAP). If no selection is made, you will be moved to RAP automatically.
- It's important to note that all loans must be repaid under the same plan. So, borrowers with loans made before July 1, 2026, who take out additional loans on or after July 1, 2026, will be limited to choosing between the RAP and the new standard plan.
- New Borrowers: For loans made on or after July 1, 2026, there will be two repayment plan options - the new standard repayment plan or RAP. If no selection is made, you will be assigned to the new standards payment plan.
Repayment Plans for Parent Borrowers
Parent borrowers may choose to defer payments until six months after their student
graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment status. Otherwise, payments
begin once the loan is fully disbursed (paid out) unless you request a deferment.
We encourage any borrower who is currently in repayment of their federal loans to contact their loan servicer and discuss how these changes may impact their situation. This website provides a high-level overview, and there may be other details a current borrower in repayment will want to consider before deciding how best to proceed.
What's Changing on July 1, 2026
- A new standard repayment plan will be created. Payments under this plan will have four fixed terms of 10, 15, 20, or 25 years (based on the amount borrowed).
What This Means for You
- Current Borrowers: If no new loans are made on or after July 1, 2026, you are eligible
to enroll in the current Standard, Graduated, Extended, or income based (IBR) repayment
plan.
- If you borrowed prior to July 1, 2026, AND subsequently borrow after July 1, 2026, repayment for all loans must be under the same payment plan, which is the new standard payment plan.
- New Borrowers: Loans made on or after July 1, 2026, can be repaid using only the new standard plan to choose from.