Administrators at PSU, from the President and her staff to individual financial aid counselors and academic advisors, meet regularly to ensure they have up-to-date information from the state and federal administrations, and to review the effect any changes may have on PSU students, faculty, and staff. Regular updates are posted to PSU’s Federal Actions website.
Guidance from the federal government and information about the operations of the U.S. Department of Education are changing over time. Until and unless you hear from PSU or the Department of Education about your financial aid, nothing has changed for you. To understand more about recent news, review the information below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I know if my financial aid might be affected? Portland State University will send critical communications to students at their pdx.edu email address, this includes any details about changes to financial aid. Students should also monitor any email account used in the FAFSA or loan repayment process as U.S. Department of Education officials may not have your pdx.edu email address. To review or update your email on studentaid.gov:
- Log in to your Student Aid account using your account username or verified email address and your password.
- Select your first name (or person icon in mobile) in the navigation bar at the top of the page, then select Settings from the dropdown menu.
- Select Contact Information. Here you'll be able to view or update your email address, mobile phone, alternate phone number, and permanent address.
Has anything changed regarding federal financial aid? The majority of Pell Grants for the 2024-25 academic year have been awarded and disbursed to students. There is nothing to suggest that this critical funding source for PSU students will change, nor do we believe that the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) or Federal Work Study (FWS) will be affected.
Can I still file the FAFSA? We have not seen that availability of the FAFSA has been impacted by changes at the Department of Education, however, the massive reduction in staff could cause disruption in FAFSA availability going forward. Therefore, we encourage students to file the FAFSA for 2025-2026 as soon as possible.
Is there any specific guidance for mixed-status families? Students must complete the FAFSA to receive federal financial aid, including the Pell Grant, and to be eligible for Federal Work Study programs.
For mixed-status families — where some members are U.S. citizens or legal residents, and others are undocumented — it's crucial to carefully consider whether to submit identifying information on the FSA ID or FAFSA. These decisions are especially important for families applying for federal financial aid for the first time, as the information shared in these forms can affect eligibility and privacy.
Mixed-status families may have concerns about sharing identifying information due to the potential risks, such as revealing a family member’s immigration status. However, the U.S. Department of Education enforces strict regulations to protect the confidentiality of FAFSA data. Despite these protections, it's important for families to fully understand what information is required and to assess their comfort level before submitting any forms.
More information and other FAFSA resources can be found on the FAFSA Hub for Mixed-Status Families.
Are there changes coming to student loan repayment? Current and former PSU students with federal student loan debt were seeing changes to their loan repayment options before the changes at the Department of Education were announced. Students can connect with their loan servicer for questions regarding repayment options available to current and former PSU students.
Has financial aid from the State of Oregon changed? Eligibility for many Oregon financial aid programs, like the Oregon Opportunity Grant, leverage information provided in the FAFSA. Disbursement of money to students is controlled by the State of Oregon, not the Federal Department of Education. We do not anticipate issues with financial aid coming from the state.