Higher education institutions and student-service offices are bracing for a wave of federal student aid changes that take effect July 1, reshaping loan repayment options, forgiveness pathways, and borrowing caps. Federal student financial aid policy moves quickly this cycle, and schools are being forced to update counseling materials and systems on short timelines. The changes include new graduate student loan limits, parent loan limits, and a shift for workforce-oriented programs. The policy package also expands Pell Grants for low-income students to support short-term career and technical training—often referred to as “Workforce Pell”—with eligibility conditioned on completion and job placement performance metrics. States and program providers are scrambling to implement Workforce Pell requirements after less than a year of preparation, with compliance enforcement largely resting with state oversight. Schools are also monitoring closely how scrapping or limiting existing programs such as the SAVE repayment option and changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness may affect enrollment and student decision-making.