Costs & Financial Aid

  1. UH Home
  2. Costs & Financial Aid
  3. Undergraduate Costs & Financial Aid
  4. FAFSA Information

Costs & Financial Aid

FAFSA Information

FAFSA Timeline Updates

The 2026-27 FAFSA form is available! The state of Texas priority deadline was Jan. 15, 2026, but we encourage you to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to maximize your aid eligibility. The University of Houston’s Federal School Code is 003652.

The UH Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will reach out to you via email to confirm when we have received your 2026-27 FAFSA and let you know if we require any additional documentation from you. As of April 26, 2026, we are unable to process 2026-27 FAFSA information due to pending system updates. We anticipate being able to resume importing 2026-27 FAFSA data by late May and we will communicate to you via email once that occurs.

Incoming student 2026-27 financial aid offers are typically available within two weeks of receiving the FAFSA. Financial aid offer notices for continuing students for the 2026-27 academic year is expected to begin in late May.

One Big Beautiful Bill Act

President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on July 4, 2025, making significant changes to the federal student financial aid programs, effective July 1, 2026. The information on this web page will be updated as additional information becomes available. Please email sfa@central.uh.edu if you have questions regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  

Elimination of Graduate PLUS Loan Program

  • The Bill eliminates the Direct PLUS Loan program for graduate and professional students (commonly referred to as a Grad PLUS Loan) for new borrowers effective July 1, 2026.

  • Limited Exception Provision: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled in a credentialed program, the borrower can borrow from the Grad PLUS Loan program for three academic years or the remainder of their expected time to be credentialed, whichever is less. The Grad PLUS Loan will no longer be available after June 30, 2029.

Graduate and Professional Student Direct Unsubsidized Loan Limits Changed

  • Graduate student: The Direct Unsubsidized Loan annual limit ($20,500) is unchanged. The new aggregate limit is $100,000 (previously $138,500).

  • Professional student: The Direct Unsubsidized Loan annual limit is $50,000. The new aggregate limit is $200,000 (previously $138,500).  

  • Graduate and Professional aggregate limits do not include undergraduate borrowing.

Lifetime Loan Limit for All Federal Programs

  • New: The lifetime loan limit is $257,500 across all federal loan programs and includes:

    • Undergraduate direct loans, subsidized and unsubsidized

    • Graduate direct loans

    • Graduate PLUS loans

New Parent PLUS Loan Annual and Aggregate Loan Limits

  • All parents (combined) may borrow $20,000 per year per dependent student and a $65,000 aggregate limit per dependent student (without regard to amounts forgiven, repaid, canceled or discharged).

  • Limited Exception Provision: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while the dependent student is enrolled in a credentialed program, the parent can continue to borrow under current loan limits for three academic years or the remainder of their dependent student’s expected time to be credentialed, whichever is less. 

Pell Grant Limitations for Students with High Student Aid Index (SAI)

  • Students with an SAI equal to or greater than twice the maximum Pell grant ($14,790 for 2026-27 academic year), are not eligible to receive a Pell grant.

Pell Grant Limitations for Students Fully Covered by Non-Federal Grants and Scholarships

  • Students who receive grants and scholarships from non-federal sources (institutional, state or private) that cover their entire cost of attendance (COA) are not eligible to receive a Pell grant, even if otherwise eligible for the program.

  • The financial aid office can reduce non-federal aid (e.g., department scholarships, athletic scholarships, private loans, state grants, etc.) to below the COA to preserve Pell grant eligibility.

Changes to Annual Loan Limits Based on Part-Time Enrollment

  • Schools are required to adjust Direct Loan annual limits for students enrolled less than full-time.

  • Students who are enrolled full-time are still eligible to receive their full annual loan limit.  

  • If a student is enrolled less than full-time, then their annual limit is reduced to the appropriate percentage based on their enrollment (e.g., a half-time student’s loan limit is 50% of their annual loan limit, a three-quarter-time student's loan limit is 75% of their annual loan limit, etc.).

New Rule Example Calculation

  • Let’s say you’re a dependent junior who can borrow up to $7,500 in student loans for the school year. You plan to take 12 credit hours in the fall and 12 credit hours in the spring, which makes you a full-time student (full-time = at least 12 credits each term).
  • Your loan would normally disburse in two equal payments:
    • Fall: $3,750
    • Spring: $3,750
  • If you drop from 12 credits to nine credits in the fall before your loan is disbursed, then the fall loan will be reduced.
  • If you drop from 12 credits to nine credits in the fall after your loan is disbursed, then the fall loan will not be reduced. Instead, SFA will review your spring enrollment and adjust the spring loan as appropriate. 
  • For example:
    • Fall: Drop from 12 credits to nine credits after fall loan is disbursed.
    • Spring: 12 credits
    • Total 21 credits. Full time for two semesters is 24 credits.
    • Percent of Full-Time completion
      • (21 ÷ 24) x 100 = 87.5% (rounded up to 88%); This means you are scheduled to complete 88% of the credits needed to be considered full‑time for the combined fall and spring terms.
    • How This Affects Your Loan
      • Since you’re only completing 88% of the credits needed for annual full-time enrollment, you can only receive 88% of your $7,500 loan limit.
        • $7,500 x 0.88 = $6,600 new annual limit after dropping
      • You already received $3,750 in the fall.
      • So, for spring you can only receive:
        • $6,600 - $3,750 = $2,850
      • Even if you take 12 credits in the spring, your spring loan is limited to $2,850 because your total enrollment for the year was reduced after dropping less than full-time during the fall semester.
  • If you take 15 credits in the spring, then your total for the year becomes:
    • Fall: 9 credits
    • Spring: 15 credits
    • Total: 24 credits  
    • Now you’re back to completing a full-time year, which means you can get the full $3,750 for spring. 

 

Loan Repayment Changes

  • Starting July 1, 2026, borrowers entering repayment will have two plans available: a new tiered standard repayment plan and a new income-driven repayment plan, called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). 
  • Existing income-contingent repayment plans will be sunset in 2028. 

Have Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Phone: 713-743-1010, option 5
Email: sfa@central.uh.edu

In-Person Services

For hours of service, please visit the Welcome Center webpage.