FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allie Arcese
Sr. Director, Strategic Communications
[email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 2, 2025 — The White House on Friday released further details of its budget request for fiscal year 2026, which would make significant cuts to federal student aid for college students, including reducing the maximum Pell Grant award, eliminating an entire grant program reserved for students with exceptional financial need, and curtailing funding for the Federal Work-Study program.

In response to this news, NASFAA President & CEO Melanie Storey released the following statement:

“The President’s budget slashes student financial aid, effectively reducing college accessibility and affordability at a time when many families are already struggling with the daily cost of living. 

Even during politically polarizing times, the federal Pell Grant program has historically seen broad bipartisan support.  Significantly reducing the maximum Pell Grant — an award targeted to low-income students — while cutting or eliminating complementary programs reverses decades of commitment to the promise of the Higher Education Act and would result in considerable harm for students pursuing postsecondary education.

NASFAA opposes  cuts to essential student aid programs that have been proven to reduce drop-out rates and improve student persistence and academic success. We stand opposed to the proposed elimination of the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program, which helps students from the lowest income backgrounds, and steep cuts to the Federal Work-Study program, which allows students to contribute to financing their education.

We urge Congress to reject these proposals and invest in America’s postsecondary students. We look forward to working with lawmakers to find common-sense reforms to increase access and affordability to a postsecondary education in a fiscally responsible manner.” 

NASFAA policy experts are available to speak to members of the media about the budget proposal and its impact on student financial aid and college access. To set up an interview, please email [email protected].

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About NASFAA

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every 10 undergraduates in the U.S. Based in Washington, D.C., NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.