Discover the Latest FAFSA/TASFA Update

TASFA (for Non-Citizens with Texas Residency & Nonresidents)

The TASFA is governed by Texas state law and is not impacted by the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

Changes to Texas state law introduced residency requirements that impact a student’s eligibility for state financial aid. To qualify for state aid, one must now be able to demonstrate lawful presence.

No matter your situation, we encourage all students who do not qualify for the FAFSA to submit the TASFA instead. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about your specific situation.

Starting 2026–2027, there is a new limit on Pell Grant eligibility based on your Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is a number calculated from your FAFSA that reflects your financial need. You can find yours on your Student Aid Report after submitting your FAFSA at StudentAid.gov. 

Students with an SAI of $14,790 or higher will no longer qualify for a Pell Grant. This limit is set at twice the maximum Pell Grant award of $7,395 for 2026–2027.

Note: Most ACC students will not be affected by this change. The majority of Pell Grant recipients have an SAI well below this limit. If you have questions about how this may impact your financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office. We’re here to help you understand your options and what these changes may mean for you.

If you receive non-federal grants or scholarships (from a state program, a private organization, or ACC) that fully cover your cost of attendance, you will no longer be eligible for a Pell Grant on top of that. 

ACC’s cost of attendance ranges from approximately $18,000 to $35,000 per year, depending on your situation, including tuition, fees, books and supplies, housing, transportation, and more.

Note: Most ACC students receiving a Pell Grant are unlikely to reach this limit. Even students who receive ACC Free Tuition or outside tuition assistance (such as Capital Idea) are unlikely to be impacted by this change. If you are unsure how this may impact you, contact the Financial Aid Office, and we can help you understand what that means for your financial aid.

If your family owns a farm or small business with under 100 employees, those assets will not count against you in your financial aid calculation.

Current Status: This program is not yet available at ACC. Before any programs can be funded, approvals are needed at the federal level, the state level (through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board), and then at the institution. This is a multi-step process, and no programs can launch until all three levels have signed off. 

We expect Workforce Pell to be available at ACC no earlier than Spring 2027. We will share updates as they become available.

About: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) expanded Pell Grant funding to include some short-term, career-focused training programs, now referred to as the Workforce Pell Grant. Eligible programs must be 8 to 14 weeks long, consist of 150 to 599 hours of instruction, be aligned with high-demand careers, and lead to a portable, stackable credential. 

This is an expansion of the existing Pell Grant, not a separate grant, and it counts toward a student’s overall Pell eligibility.

Starting Fall 2026, your federal loan offer will be adjusted based on how many credit hours you are enrolled in, similar to how Pell Grants already work. 

• Full-time (12 or more credits): Your loan amount will not change. 
• Below 12 credits (11- 6 credits): Your loan amount will be reduced depending on the number of credit hours you have enrolled (example below).
• Less than half-time (fewer than 6 credits): You are not eligible for federal student loans.

Example: Loan amounts by enrollment level (per semester)

Starting July 1, 2026, parents who borrow a Parent PLUS Loan on behalf of a dependent student will have new annual and lifetime limits:

• Annual limit: $20,000 per dependent student
• Lifetime limit: $65,000 per dependent student (combined across all parents)

Parents who borrowed a Parent PLUS Loan before July 1, 2026, may be able to continue borrowing under the previous rules for up to three academic years or the remainder of their student’s program, whichever comes first.

There is now a $257,500 lifetime limit on all federal student loans combined. This limit does not include Parent PLUS Loans.

For most ACC students, this limit is unlikely to be reached at the community college level.

Most borrowers can stay on their existing repayment plans. However, if you are currently enrolled in an Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), or SAVE plan, you will need to transition to a different repayment plan by July 1, 2028.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program remains unchanged. For support with loan repayment, visit austincc.edu/loanrepayment.

Students who take out loans on or after July 1, 2026, will have two repayment options:

• Tiered Standard Plan: repayment over 10 to 25 years based on your loan balance
• Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP): an income-driven option where your payment is based on what you earn

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program remains unchanged. For support with loan repayment, visit austincc.edu/loanrepayment.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step to getting financial aid at ACC. It determines your eligibility for federal and state grants, work-study, and loans. Most students qualify for some form of assistance, so we encourage everyone to apply.

To apply, complete the FAFSA and include ACC’s school code: 012015. Apply as early as October for the best chance at available funding — some aid is first-come, first-served.

The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is for students who do not qualify for federal financial aid. It is the state equivalent of the FAFSA and determines eligibility for Texas state and institutional financial aid programs.

If you do not qualify for federal financial aid, we encourage you to apply for TASFA.

To apply, complete the TASFA and include ACC’s school code: 012015. Apply as early as October for the best chance at available funding — aid is first-come, first-served.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is a federal law signed on July 4, 2025. It includes changes to federal student financial aid programs. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026, and will apply starting with the 2026-2027 school year. 

Texas state law governs any TASFA-related changes separately.

No. If you are enrolled in 2025-2026, your aid is unchanged. These changes apply starting with the 2026-2027 school year (Fall 2026 and beyond).

Financial aid may not cover all your expenses associated with going to school. If you’re looking for help managing all your expenses, ACC offers financial coaching for enrolled students. Our partner Foundation Communities also offers free financial coaching, and you can schedule a free session here: foundcom.org/financial-coaching.

Financial coaching can help you build a budget, plan for expenses, and make the most of your resources.

Receiving a scholarship does not automatically affect your Pell Grant. Your Pell Grant would only be impacted if your scholarship, along with any other non-federal grants, fully covers your entire cost of attendance. ACC’s cost of attendance ranges from approximately $18,000 to $35,000 per year depending on your situation, so most students are unlikely to hit this limit. 

If you are unsure how your scholarship might affect your aid, contact the Financial Aid Office to review your specific situation.

Your Pell Grant amount is based on how many credits you are taking (same as prior years). 

• Full-time enrollment (12 or more credits) qualifies you for the full Pell Grant amount. 
• If you are enrolled part-time, your Pell Grant amount is reduced based on how many credits you are taking. 

This is called Pell Grant Enrollment Intensity. 

Workforce Pell programs are not yet available at ACC. We expect them to be available no earlier than Spring 2027 and will share updates as they become available.

In the meantime, if you are enrolled in a credit program, you can check the Eligible Programs and Classes page to see if your program qualifies for existing Pell Grant funding. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about your current aid eligibility.

Note: ACC faculty and staff can review the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Workforce Pell Grant page for more details on program eligibility requirements.

Starting Fall 2026, your federal loan offer will be adjusted based on how many credit hours you are enrolled in, similar to how Pell Grants already work. 

• Full-time (12 or more credits): Your loan amount will not change. 
• Below 12 credits (11- 6 credits): Your loan amount will be reduced depending on the number of credit hours you have enrolled (example below).
• Less than half-time (fewer than 6 credits): You are not eligible for federal student loans. 

Example: Loan amounts by enrollment level (per semester)

No. Federal regulations require that your annual loan eligibility be split across the school year. In most cases, you can only receive up to half of your annual loan limit per semester (for example, $1,750 subsidized and $1,000 unsubsidized per semester for a loan limit of $5,500).

If you drop below the enrollment level used to calculate your loan, it won’t change what you already received, but it can reduce how much you’re eligible for in future semesters within the same school year. We strongly recommend speaking with the Financial Aid Office before making any enrollment changes.

Example: A student receives $1,750 in the fall based on full-time enrollment, then drops to 6 credit hours after disbursement. Because their annual eligibility is based on their enrollment across both semesters, dropping in the fall reduces what is left for spring.

No. An earlier version of the bill proposed eliminating subsidized loans, but that provision was not included in the final legislation. Subsidized loans remain available as before.

If you are struggling with repayment, contact your loan servicer as soon as possible. The new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) is an income-driven option that may help lower your monthly payment based on your earnings. For guidance on your options, visit austincc.edu/loanrepayment or contact the Financial Aid Office.