Starting in 2026, the way students get and repay federal financial aid is going to look a lot different.  These changes come from a new law called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  Here’s a clear breakdown so you know what’s coming and how it might affect you.

Federal Student Loans

Changes effective July 1, 2026

• Graduate PLUS Loans – going away for new borrowers.
• Parent PLUS Loans – capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 total per child.
• Grad/Professional Loans – annual caps of $20,500 (grad) or $50,000 (professional); total caps of $100,000 and $200,000.
• Overall Lifetime Limit -- $257,500 across all federal student loans (Parent PLUS not included in this total). Lifetime limits include loans that have been forgiven, discharged, or repaid.
• Loan Proration – loans will match your enrollment level (full-time vs. part-time).
• Loan Deferment and Forbearance – New restrictions on the length of forbearances and the economic hardship and unemployment deferments are going away.

Loan Repayment

• Only two repayment options
  • New Standard Plan – fixed payments over 10, 15, 20, or 25 years (based on loan size)
  • New Income-Based Repayment Plan (RAP) – payment is 1-10% of income (based on AGI), with discounts for dependents and no interest piling up faster than you can pay, 30-year repayment period.
• Current borrowers can keep their old plans for now, but some plans will be phased out by 2028.
• Parent PLUS loans taken after July 1, 2026, must use the Standard Plan.

FAFSA & Eligibility

• Family Farms, Small Businesses, and Fisheries – assets won’t count against you in aid calculations.
• Foreign Income – must be counted when figuring Pell eligibility.
• Full Scholarships – if outside scholarships (any scholarships that are not federal scholarships) fully cover your cost of attendance, you will not be able to receive a Pell Grant.

If you’ll be in college or grad school in 2026 or later, these changes will affect how much you can borrow and how you will repay your loans.  Parents of future students should pay close attention to the new loan caps and repayment rules.

Capitol Technology University’s Financial Aid Office will continue to provide updates on the changes affecting federal student aid as more information becomes available.

Capitol Technology University's Commitment to You

Committed faculty, small classes, outstanding job placement rates - Capitol Technology University is a good investment in your future. The financial aid staff is here to help you pay for that investment. Over 90 percent of our students receive some form of financial assistance.

We are committed to help you review the options and find the best financial plan for you, including:

• Undergraduate tuition guarantee - Starting with the Fall 2019 class the tuition lock changed to a tuition guarantee. We guarantee the student’s tuition increase will be capped at 1% per year.

• Financial aid assistance - We know the financial aid process is complex. Our friendly financial aid staff will help you fill out forms, understand the difference between the types of aid available and direct you to the scholarships for which you may be eligible.

• Financial aid programs - Capitol Technology University offers many programs to help students pay for their education.

Purpose

Our goal is to provide students with accurate, up-to-date, and legitimate scholarship opportunities. To maintain the integrity of our listings, all submitted scholarships must adhere to the following policy.

Eligibility to Post

Only the following entities may submit scholarships for posting: Accredited educational institutions; Nonprofit organizations; Government agencies; Verified businesses or foundations offering genuine scholarships; Private individuals (with valid contact info and background verification)

Required Information

Each scholarship listing must include:

• Scholarship name
• Description and purpose
• Award amount
• Eligibility criteria
• Application deadline
• Application process (including required materials)
• Contact information (name, email, phone, website)
• Official link to the scholarship application or organization

Prohibited Content

We do not accept listings that: Require payment to apply; promote sweepstakes or “random draw” prizes with unclear rules; collect unnecessary personal data; have incomplete or misleading information; link to unverified or scam websites

Duration of Posting

Approved scholarships will remain live until the application deadline has passed

Reporting Concerns

If you believe a posted scholarship is fraudulent or misleading, please contact us at finaid@captechu.edu so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

Disclaimer

We do not endorse or guarantee any scholarship listed on our site. Users should conduct their own research before applying. We are not responsible for any loss or damage resulting from interactions with third-party organizations.

Contact Us

For questions or concerns regarding scholarship postings, reach out to finaid@captechu.edu