Figuring out how to pay for college is one of the most stressful parts of getting started — and with recent federal changes rolling out this year, incoming, current and prospective students alike have plenty of questions.
We sat down with Erin Swenson, assistant director of student support for Financial Aid & Scholarships, to get answers about the ones we hear most often, from where to find scholarships to what the new federal loan rules mean for you. Because several of these policies are new and still taking shape, we always recommend confirming the latest details directly with the Financial Aid Office before making decisions.
I'm planning to attend less than full-time. How will that affect my financial aid?
This is one of the most common questions the Financial Aid Office is getting right now, thanks to recent federal changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3).
As of July 1, 2026, federal Direct Loans were prorated for students enrolled less than full-time. This means attending less than full time reduces your federal loan eligibility in proportion to the number of credits you’re registered for. Full-time enrollment means 12 or more credits per term for undergraduates and 9 or more for graduate students.
Your federal loan eligibility is reduced in direct proportion to your enrollment level, which means your borrowing amount may change if your enrollment changes — even if that change happens after aid has already been disbursed for the term. (Parent PLUS Loans are not subject to these proration rules; more details below.)
To make sure your aid is awarded accurately, complete the enrollment questions in your Financial Aid Dashboard, indicating your planned enrollment for fall, winter, spring and summer. Think of these questions as a direct line of communication between you and the Financial Aid Office — and if your plans change, just complete the questions again to update them.
Navigating to your dashboard is easy simply follow these steps: Log into my.pdx.edu > select "Finances" from the menu > scroll down and click on "View more on your financial aid dashboard.”
Where can I look for scholarships?
Start with Scholarship Universe, PSU's online scholarship portal, where you can search and apply for millions of dollars in awards — including both PSU-specific scholarships and vetted external opportunities.
The 2026–2027 application cycle has closed, but you can begin applying for the 2027–2028 academic year on November 2, with a deadline of March 1, 2027. Plan ahead with the self-guided demo on the Scholarship Universe website to get familiar with the platform before the next cycle opens!
One tip students often overlook: check with your academic college, department or degree program directly. Many offer additional funding opportunities beyond what you'll find in the portal.
Can graduate students still borrow Graduate PLUS Loans?
It depends on when you began your graduate program.
If you were enrolled before July 1, 2026, you may continue borrowing Graduate PLUS Loans for up to three academic years — or the remainder of your program, whichever is shorter — as long as you remain continuously enrolled, stay in the same graduate program, attend the same institution and previously received a Direct Loan for that program before July 1, 2026.
If you began or restarted a graduate program after a leave of absence on or after July 1, 2026, you're no longer eligible for Graduate PLUS Loans. In that case, you may want to explore private education loans — PSU offers a tool called FastChoice to help you research participating private lenders.
What is changing with Parent PLUS Loans?
Beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year, Parent PLUS Loans are subject to new federal borrowing limits. Eligible parents may now borrow up to $20,000 per academic year per dependent student, with a lifetime maximum of $65,000 per dependent student. Previously, parents could borrow up to the student's full cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid received.
How do I view my financial aid offer — and why haven't I received one yet?
Your Financial Aid Dashboard in myPSU is your primary resource for managing everything aid-related. To get there, log into myPSU, select Finances, click View More on Your Financial Aid Dashboard and complete the single sign-on.
Once you're in, the Home tab shows any outstanding requirements that might delay your aid being packaged or disbursed, along with your enrollment questions. The Offer tab displays your cost of attendance, enrollment status and financial aid offers.
If you haven't received an offer yet, start with your Home tab to see whether there are any outstanding requirements you still need to complete — that's the most common reason an offer is delayed.
The other most common culprits: not submitting the current academic year’s FAFSA (that’s the 2026-27 for this year), or submitting one that’s missing PSU's federal school code — 003216.
How can I estimate what I'll owe?
Fall tuition and fee charges will be available in myPSU beginning September 9, but you don't need to wait until then to start planning. A couple of resources can help:
Meet with a Financial Wellness Center coach to build a personalized cost estimate using a budgeting worksheet, attend drop in hours to meet with a financial aid counselor or schedule an appointment to meet with one over Zoom.
These appointments are especially useful if you're attending less than full-time or enrolling for fewer than three terms, since your aid may be adjusted based on enrollment. A counselor can walk you through any potential changes to your award and help you estimate your remaining balance.
Still have questions?
You don't have to figure any of this out alone. PSU's Office of Financial Aid is here to help you understand your options, walk through your dashboard and plan for what's ahead — whether you're an incoming student mapping out your first year or a current student navigating the recent changes.
To get personalized support, schedule a virtual appointment or attend in-person drop-in hours with a Financial Aid Counselor or connect with a Financial Wellness Center coach to build a budget that works for you. And be sure to monitor your Financial Aid Dashboard in myPSU — it's the best place to stay on top of requirements, offers and deadlines throughout the year.
Reach out early and often. Nobody expects you to have all of this figured out (really, they don't!) — that's exactly why the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships exists. They're here to help you make sense of it all.