*Information on this page is intended for informational purposes only and is subject to change. Federal requirements are not finalized, are continuously being updated and may not be reflected on this page. For the most up to date information visit https://studentaid.gov/.
April 2026
Federal student loan rules are changing beginning July 1, 2026 due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3). These changes require the Financial Aid Office to potentially delay processing, adjust aid offers, and can limit how much students or parents can borrow.
2026-2027 FAFSA Processing Delays
Due to changes on the FAFSA.gov site, applications submitted after April 25 may not be received by the institution until mid-June. Any FAFSA application received before April 25 will be processed as normal, but applications submitted after that date will not be received until after system updates to accommodate the new information.
Unsubsidized and Subsidized Loan Changes: New requirements for institutions to adjust the annual loan limit for students enrolled less than full time.
Starting Fall 2026, students enrolled less than full time (fewer than 12 credit hours) are not eligible for the full amount of a subsidized or unsubsidized loan. Loans will be prorated based on enrollment in Financial Aid eligible classes on the Official Day of Record for the term.
If a student changes enrollment in the fall semester (for example, drops a course) the amount of subsidized loan for the next semester may be reduced. For example, if a student is enrolled full time for the fall semester and receives a full disbursement of a subsidized or unsubsidized loan, but drops a course and receives a W, the spring loan amount will be reduced to reflect less than full time enrollment for the year. Rules are still being developed and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
Parent PLUS loan limits have changed.
New Parent PLUS borrowers will have an annual limit of $20,000 and an aggregate limit of $65,000 per dependent student. Historically, borrowers have been able to cover the full cost of attendance (both direct and indirect costs) through this program, as there we no specific limit.
Pell grant eligibility calculations have changed.
The new rules will only apply to a small percentage of students receiving Pell grant.
- Students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) greater than $14,790 are no longer eligible to receive a Pell grant.
- Students who receive grants or scholarships from non-federal sources (institutional, state, or private) that cover their entire Cost of Attendance are ineligible to receive a Pell grant, even if otherwise eligible for the program.
- Foreign income is now included in the adjusted gross income used to calculate Pell grant eligibility on the FAFSA.
August 13, 2025
*Update: This issue has been resolved.*
Some LSC students have an encountered an issue when adding Lone Star College to the FAFSA. If students search for Lone Star College, or search by city such as Conroe or Kingwood, the FAFSA may display several incorrect options. The correct option is titled "Lone Star College System." All other options (Lone Star College-cy-fair, Lone Star College-kingwood, Lone Star College System- Montgomery, Lone Star College-tomball) are not correct.
Students can also search by the correct LSC School Code: 011145.
February 3, 2025
February is Financial Aid Awareness Month! The Financial Aid Office is hosting events across the LSC system to help students navigate the financial aid process. Visit www.lonestar.edu/fa-events for more information.
January 29, 2025
Lone Star College is closely monitoring information regarding the directive to temporarily pause federal financial assistance. As of January 29, the directive has been rescinded. Direct Loans, Pell Grants, and other federal student aid funds are not impacted, and we continue to award and disburse federal student aid as expected. Visit www.studentaid.gov for additional information.