Financial Aid

Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, some students who previously qualified for a Federal Pell Grant may no longer be eligible.

You may not qualify for a Pell Grant if:

• Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is equal to or greater than twice the maximum Pell Grant amount for the year.
• You receive enough non-federal grants and scholarships (state, institutional, employer or private scholarships) to cover your full cost of attendance.
• Certain foreign income that was previously excluded from FAFSA^® calculations will now be considered when determining eligibility.

Example: If the maximum Pell Grant for 2026-27 is $7,395, students with an SAI of $14,790 or higher would not qualify.

Parent PLUS Loans

New Parent PLUS Loan borrowers will be limited to $20,000 per year and $65,000 total per dependent student.

Parents who borrowed a PLUS Loan before July 1, 2026, may continue under the current rules for up to three years if the student remains continuously enrolled or until the student graduates, whichever occurs first.

Lifetime limits

Beginning July 1, 2026, most federal student loans borrowed by a student will count toward a combined lifetime borrowing limit of approximately $257,500.

Students enrolled less than full time

Beginning in 2026-27, federal student loans will be based on your actual enrollment. Students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours to receive federal student loans. Students who enroll in fewer than 12 credits per semester will receive less than the annual maximum loan amount.

For financial aid purposes, undergraduate students are considered full-time when enrolled in and successfully complete a total of 24 credits during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, students who receive W (Withdrawal) and/or F (Failing) grades may experience a reduction in their federal student loan eligibility if those grades cause their enrollment to fall below full-time status for the semester. Students are encouraged to carefully consider any enrollment changes and seek guidance from Academic Advising and the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing from a course.

Example: A student receives the maximum annual loan amount and enrolls in 12 credits in Fall and 12 credits in Spring. If the student withdraws from 6 Fall credits, the student's Spring loan eligibility will be reduced because total annual enrollment has decreased.

Your loan eligibility will be reviewed after the financial aid census date each semester.

If you drop classes, withdraw from courses and/or complete fewer credits than originally planned, your federal loan eligibility will be reduced.

Example: A student who completes 9 credits in Fall and 15 credits in Spring, for a total of 24 credits, will have no loan reduction. But a student who completes 9 credits in Fall and 12 credits in Spring, for a total of 21 credits, will have his or her federal loan amounts reduced.

Federal student loan repayment plans will be simplified into two primary options:

• A standard repayment plan
• A new income-based repayment plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP)

Wake Tech recommends that students contact their loan servicer or review information available from the U.S. Department of Education concerning federal loan repayment options before entering repayment.

Review your borrowing plans

Consider how these changes may affect your future financial aid eligibility.

Stay enrolled

Dropping or withdrawing from classes may affect the amount of student loans you can receive.

Check your financial aid regularly

Review your financial aid information and your Wake Tech email frequently for updates. Students can access their financial aid status, outstanding requirements, award information and important messages through Self-Service. Regularly monitoring both Self-Service and your Wake Tech email helps ensure you do not miss important deadlines or requests that could affect your financial aid eligibility.

Stay informed

Federal guidance is still being released. Wake Tech will provide updates as additional information becomes available.