Not sure where to start? Browse the information below to learn about financial aid eligibility, the types of aid available, and how to complete the FAFSA. For additional help, Community College of Philadelphia offers Financial Aid workshops on a regular basis.

Steps to Applying for Financial Aid

Who’s Eligible for Aid

What types of Aid can I receive

Financial Aid Workshops

Revisions to the Federal Student Loans based on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by Congress, impacting certain Federal Student Aid programs starting July 1, 2026.

How much can undergraduates borrow under the new law?

There are no changes to how much federal loans an undergraduate student may borrow.

• Annual loan limit $5,500 - $10,500 based on year in school and dependency status.
• Aggregate loan limit $31,000 - $57,500 based on dependency status.

Can my parent still borrow the Federal Parent PLUS Loan?

Yes, but starting in the 2026-27 academic year, new limits apply:

• Parents will be capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 lifetime in PLUS borrowing per student.
• If both parents borrow on behalf of the same student, their combined borrowing is capped at $20,000 per year and $65,000 in lifetime borrowing.

If my parent is subject to the new borrowing limits and has reached the aggregate borrowing limit, am I eligible to borrow additional unsubsidized loan funds?

No. For an undergraduate student to borrow additional unsubsidized loan funds, the parent must be credit denied for the PLUS Loan or otherwise ineligible to apply for the loan. Reaching the aggregate borrowing limit is not an exceptional circumstance.

What happens if I withdraw from a course and I am enrolled less than full-time (less than 12 credits)?

Nothing immediately, but there may be an impact in the next semester, depending on your enrollment.

Starting with the 2026-27 award year, which begins with the Fall 2026. Direct Loan amounts for students who are not full-time for the full academic year will need to be adjusted. This is called a Schedule of Reduction (SOR) change.

This adjustment is made at the next scheduled disbursement in the aid year. See example (individual scenarios and eligibility may vary).

Example:

• A 1st-year undergraduate dependent student enrolls in 12 credits in Fall and then registers for 12 credits in Spring
  • Max Loan Limit: $5,500

We disbursed $2750 for Fall. The student later withdraws to 9 credits in the fall semester,

• No adjustment is made for Fall.

We then have to apply the Annual Schedule of Reductions Formula

• 9 earned credits in Fall + 12 credits in Spring = 21 annual credits
  • Full-time is 12, so 24 credits are the expected full-time enrollment amount for the year.

21/24 credits = 88% (rounded to the nearest whole number)

• This means you are enrolled for 88% of your overall full-time. You can only have 88% of your loan. 
  • 88% x $5,500 = $4,840
  • $4,840 is the new annual loan amount.

We account for the aid received in the Fall:

• $4,840 - $2,750 disbursed in the fall = $2,090 new Spring eligibility