The Student Aid Alliance urges Congress to reject the FY 2026 President's Budget Request, which proposes deep cuts to federal student aid programs—including Pell Grants, Federal Work Study, and several others—warning that these reductions would severely hinder college access and completion for millions of low- and middle-income students.
Dear Chairs Capito and Aderholt and Ranking Members Baldwin and DeLauro:
We are writing to express our opposition to the fiscal year (FY) 2026 President’s Budget Request for student aid programs and ask that you oppose these proposed cuts.
Over decades, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress created and invested in the federal student aid programs to bolster a competitive U.S. workforce, ensure low- and middle-income students have the same opportunities as their more affluent peers, and strengthen America’s economy.
By 2033, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be over 3.8 million new U.S. jobs requiring a postsecondary credential. College graduates earn more than $1.2 million more over their lifetime than high school graduates and are far more likely to be employed, pay taxes, and reduce future government spending on social services.
The budget request proposes to cut the Pell Grant by $1,685, from a maximum of $7,395 to
$5,710. Over 7 million students participate in the Pell Grant program and reducing the maximum award will erect barriers for college access and completion. Congress should address any projected Pell Grant funding gap by investing mandatory and discretionary funding without making eligibility cuts.
The budget request also slashes funding for Federal Work Study (FWS) and makes changes to the program’s non-federal share. Institutions would be required to pay 75% of a student’s hourly wages and the federal government’s contribution would be reduced to 25%.
In addition, the budget request completely eliminates funding for Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG); TRIO programs; the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness in Undergraduate Program (GEAR-UP); and Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN). Over 430,000 students utilize FWS; 1.8 million students utilize FSEOG; over 874,000 students benefit from TRIO; over 145 awards were awarded to states and partnerships in GEAR-UP; and 71 institutions received funding from GAANN to award 415 graduate fellowships.4 These programs impact millions of students, especially low-income students, and would be detrimental should Congress pass this budget request.
Thank you for your time and attention to this extremely important matter. We call on Congress to continue its bipartisan support for these programs and ask that you oppose cuts to the student aid programs in the FY 2026 President’s Budget Request.
Sincerely,
SAA Steering Committee