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Description

This paper examines the Department of Education’s reclassification of professional and non-professional studies in relation to the newly imposed caps on the amount of financial aid students can access, as stated in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. While these policy changes take into consideration economic constraints and the principle of supporting students through more effective allocation of resources, they do not function as intended and instead disproportionately affect low-income students. By limiting the total aid available, the policy restricts access to certain programs, particularly for those who rely most heavily on financial assistance. Although education was historically intended to expand access and promote upward mobility among the lower-income populations, the new classifications may restrict financial aid eligibility and impact disadvantaged students. Ultimately, this paper argues that the restructuring of aid through classification and caps reflects a shift toward cost containment at the expense of equitable access to higher education.

Publisher Location

Las Vegas (Nev.)

Publication Date

Spring 4-17-2026

Publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Keywords

financial aid; big beautiful bill act; higher education access; policy change; educational inequality

Disciplines

Adult and Continuing Education | Education | Political Economy

File Format

PDF

File Size

426 KB

Comments

Mentor: Rafael Oganesyan

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Policy Shifts and Educational Access: An Analysis of Financial Aid Limitations Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act


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