On July 4, 2025, the President signed the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) (H.R. 1), which includes significant changes to federal student aid programs. While this legislation has been enacted, Coastal Georgia is still reviewing its final provisions and awaiting additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on several items.
Although it is too early to fully understand all potential impacts, Coastal Georgia remains focused on how these changes may affect our students. While the new regulations take effect on July 1, 2026, Coastal Georgia will begin implementation Fall 2026.
One notable change involves new limits on Parent PLUS Loans. Parent PLUS Loans allow parents to borrow on behalf of their dependent students. Currently, parents may borrow up to the student’s Cost of Attendance. Beginning Fall 2026, Parent PLUS borrowing will be capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 lifetime per dependent student.
Another change affects student loan eligibility based on enrollment status. Students must be enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours) to receive the full loan amount. Students enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours will have their loan eligibility prorated down based on their enrollment level. Please note: Students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours to be eligible for any federal student loan.
Please note that Coastal Georgia is still awaiting further guidance and will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Policy Area | Updates |
Pell Grant | Students are not eligible for Pell Grant if their Cost of Attendance is fully covered by other non-federal grants and/or scholarships. [Click here to learn more about Cost of Attendance at the College of Coastal Georgia.] |
Parent PLUS Loan Limits* | Up to $20,000 per academic year, with a $65,000 lifetime maximum per dependent student. |
Federal Direct Stafford Loan Proration | Students enrolled in less than full-time (fewer than 12 credit hours) are eligible to borrow only a prorated maximum loan amount. |
*If a student or parent borrower received a Federal Direct Loan before July 1, 2026 while the dependent student is enrolled in a program of study, the parent may continue borrowing under the prior loan limits for up to three academic years or for the remainder of the student’s expected time to credential, whichever is less.
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