Students prepare for changes brought by Big Beautiful Bill

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President Donald Trump’s newly passed education bill is already causing waves on college campuses, where students and faculty are reacting to sweeping loan and funding changes. 

Signed into law on July 4, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” has been met with opposing reactions. Students at universities across the United States have begun to feel the impacts in a myriad of ways.  

Among a plethora of alterations being made to the Department of Education, Trump’s bill is drawing national attention for its focus on their federal funding policies.  

The bill will narrow down student loan repayment plans from four options to two. One of the two eliminated repayment plans is the prominent Biden-era SAVE plan.  

Americans can prepare for these new policies to take effect on July 1, 2026, as institutions nationwide will adjust to changes in federal funding, student loan limits and academic program prioritization.  

Adjustments to Pell Grants, a form of financial aid provided to students pursuing higher education, will assist community colleges in providing more job training programs to lower-income students.  

“I am glad that the federal Pell Grant programs are not being cut as a lot of low-income Americans are relying on these programs to pursue their degree,” said Jayden McQueen, a senior political science major from Crestview, Florida.  

While McQueen was happy Pell Grants weren’t cut, she still isn’t pleased with the bill.  

“Trump set a timeline for the bill, and it seemed like Congress did not want to stop and ask the right questions,” McQueen said. 

Student loans will now be capped at $25,000 per academic year, while unsubsidized loans will be eliminated entirely. This means interest will accumulate while students are still enrolled.  

Limiting the amount students can borrow offers a safeguard against excessive debt and rising tuition costs, but it can also restrict access to higher education for low-income students and those pursuing advanced degrees.  

“This may seem bad, and it could be, but it may also motivate universities to limit tuition increases, which is a better benefit to students in the long run,” said Dr. Michael Guo-Brennan, a Fulbright scholar and professor of public administration at Troy University. “No one really knows exactly how this will play out or if changes will be made later.”  

As the bill creates increasing ambiguity for federal regulations, U.S. universities are at a critical crossroads in determining which avenues to prioritize – academic freedom, workforce development or political compliance. 

“I am from a very small town in Georgia, and a lot of people don’t make a lot of money, so it’s important to ensure people are taken care of and continuously calling on our representatives to make sure we are all informed,” said Markcus Cooper, a junior global business major from Bainbridge, Georgia. “I really thought a few Republicans would get some backbone when it came to voting for this piece of legislation. 

“Is this government really there to help a lot of people or is it just there to give large tax cuts and to ensure the wealthy stay wealthy while the poor stay poor?”  

The coming months will determine the trajectory at which universities will ultimately make a vast number of significant modifications.