Sophia Baltodano | Staff Writer
Financial aid changes from One Big Beautiful Bill at Florida International University are creating uncertainty for students who rely on assistance to pay for college, with some students changing their course schedules, considering transferring, or finding alternative ways to finish their degrees.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in July 2025, made changes to federal student aid for the 2026-27 academic year. The changes affect programs including Pell Grants and federal student loans, changing how much aid some students can receive.
The new loan limits starting in the fall 2026 semester for students pursuing a professional J.D. degree are an annual unsubsidized limit of $50,000, an aggregate limit of $200,000, and a lifetime limit of $257,500. The Grad PLUS annual limit has been eliminated.
Meanwhile, for graduate programs (LL.M., J.M., M.D.L.T.), the annual unsubsidized limit is $20,500, the aggregate limit is $100,000 and the lifetime limit for all federal loans is $257,500. The Grad PLUS loan has also been eliminated.
As the new rules take effect, FIU students are adjusting their plans to manage the financial impact–some of which force them to reconsider how they’ll finish their degrees.
For Elias Anzola, a junior studying biological sciences, the changes have already altered his plans.
Anzola said he first heard about the financial aid changes during the spring 2025 semester and felt “horrible and discriminated against,” and was worried that the years of work he had put into his education could go to waste. As an out-of-state student, Anzola said the removal of his tuition waiver created an additional financial burden and he was forced to take a gap semester in fall 2025, enrolling in only one class during spring 2026.
“I’m actually enrolling at MDC to finish my degree since FIU is not a viable option anymore,” Anzola said.
Other students are also reconsidering how they will complete their degrees due to the financial stress of their classes.
Katherine Harting, a Senior in FIU’s accelerated Master of Architecture program (M.Arch), said the financial changes have been frustrating, even though she considers herself relatively financially stable.
“I’m fairly solidly middle class, but like my parents possibly won’t be able to retire because I’m going to college with no aid,” Harting said. “I had no clue that there was going to be a jumping price and that I would get zero financial aid once I got into my master’s courses.”
The situation has even led her to consider transferring to another university so she can graduate sooner and reduce the financial burden.
Veronica Cores, a Senior in the same major, faces the same issue regarding her graduate program.
“I feel worried because I rely on financial aid to help pay for school, so any changes can make finishing my degree a lot harder financially,” Cores said.
Cores said the accelerated program makes the situation more difficult because she takes more credits and faces higher costs. However, she said she would rather adjust her course load if necessary to avoid postponing graduation instead of transferring schools.
“Worst case I’ll take out loans to make sure I can finish my degree on time,” Cores said.
Beyond the financial impact, students say they are also concerned about how much information is available about the changes. Anzola said students need more clarity about what the changes mean and how they could affect their education.
“Overall, I think people lack a lot of information about the situation and its impact on students,” Anzola said.
FIU’s latest public announcement was sent out earlier this year so FIU’s enrollment services have taken charge in issuing updates over the past two weeks. They’ve been informing individual students about their circumstances and extended deadlines.
PantherNOW contacted OneStop Financial Aid and was referred to the FIU Strategic Communications, Government, and External Relations department.
Madeline Baró, Senior Director of Media Relations, said “We are communicating with students who are impacted and have extended the payment deadline for those students. We are updating students’ accounts as we receive and process all necessary information.”
Additional reporting by Candela Maceda.
About Post Author
