One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3)

‎ 2026–2027 Financial Aid Awarding Update

We know many students are eager to receive their financial aid awards for the 2026–2027 academic year. Thank you for your patience as we review and process financial aid files.

Due to late decisions and updates from the U.S. Department of Education, colleges are experiencing delays in receiving, reviewing, and processing financial aid information for the upcoming academic year.

Tentative awarding date:

We have begun processing financial aid applications. Financial Aid awards will begin appearing in Student Centers in the coming weeks* as we complete our review of financial aid files.

Check your Student Center (Tasks tile and Financial Aid Forms tile) regularly to see if additional information or documentation is needed to complete your financial aid file. Monitor your Student Center and Maricopa email regularly for updates and requests.

*This date is tentative and may change if additional federal guidance or system updates are needed.

What students should do now:

Continue to:

Verify your 2026-2027 FAFSA is complete and accurate:
- PC School Code (001078) has been added to your FAFSA
- Your personal information (Social Security Number, date of birth, and full legal name) is correct and matches the information in your Student Center
Enroll in your program's applicable courses
Check your Student Center regularly and and submit any requested documents as soon as possible (Need Help? Here’s a guide.)
- Click My Student Forms tile
- Select Financial Aid Forms to open the Financial Aid Forms page. From there, you will be able to view and complete any required financial aid forms directly through GTeForms.
Monitor your official Maricopa Email

Book Advances

Due to the delay in awarding, Book Advances may also be delayed. We understand many students rely on these funds to purchase books and supplies. If possible, please make alternative arrangements until your financial aid has been awarded and any eligible Book Advances become available.

Tuition Due Date

If we received your 2026-2027 FAFSA, a temporary courtesy hold may have been placed on your account to help prevent your fall classes from being dropped for non-payment while your financial aid is being processed.

It's important that you submit any requested information or documentation as soon as possible so we can complete the review of your financial aid file and determine your eligibility for an award. Courtesy holds are temporary and will be removed according to the college's processing timeline.

Key Changes to Federal Student Aid

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, which made changes to Federal Student Aid. Institutions are awaiting official guidance from the Department of Education; however, below is a summary of how parts of this law may impact students at PC beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.

There are no changes to Federal Student Aid for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 terms.

Notice: The information shared on this page is currently evolving. Information on this page reflects the most current guidance available. Information may change as federal rules and guidelines are established. Additional updates may be issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 award year:

Students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) equal to or greater than twice the maximum Federal Pell Grant award amount for the award year will be ineligible for the grant even if the minimum Pell criteria is met.

For example, if the max Pell amount for 2026–27 is $7,395, and a student has an SAI index of 14,790 or greater, the student will not be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.

Students who receive non-federal grants or scholarships (such as state, institutional, or private aid) that are equal to the full Cost of Attendance, they will be ineligible for a Federal Pell Grant. The foreign earned income exclusion amount reported on the FAFSA will be added to the adjusted gross income when determining Federal Pell Grant eligibility.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 award year:

New Limits for Parent PLUS Loans: New borrowers will have an annual limit of $20,000 and an aggregate limit of $65,000 per dependent student.

Parents who borrowed a PLUS Loan in 2025-2026 or before can continue to borrow under current limits for 3 years (if the student remains continuously enrolled) or until their student graduates, whichever comes first.

Annual Loan Amount Proration for Less than Full-Time Enrollment: Students enrolled less than full-time must have their annual loan limit reduced proportionally.

Student Loan Repayment Options: Repayment options will be streamlined into two plans: a new tiered standard repayment plan and a new income-driven repayment plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP).

PC recommends that borrowers contact their loan servicer or review information available from the Department of Education concerning Federal Loan Repayment Options.

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester credit hours to be eligible for loan funds. Those enrolled less than full-time would only be eligible for a portion of the annual loan limit. Full-time status is defined as 12 or more semester credits per term.

Full-Time Enrollment Example: You are a student enrolled in 12 credits for the fall term and expect to also enroll in 12 credits for the spring term. At 12 credits each term, you are eligible 100% of the annual loan limit of $3500 subsidized loan as a first-time, first-year student. This would be offered to you as: $1750 fall and $1750 spring ($3500 for the year).

Part-Time Enrollment Example: You are a student enrolled in 6 credits for the fall term and expect to also enroll in 6 credits for the spring term. At 6 credits each term, you would be eligible for 50% of the annual subsidized loan limit of $3500 as a first-time, first-year student. This would be offered to you as $875 fall and $875 spring ($1750 for the year).

Note: Students can also request additional unsubsidized loans, which will also be subject to the new annual loan proration rules.