Due to the record-breaking government shutdown there could be delayed work-study payments and delayed application processes for financial aid.
The federal government shutdown started on Oct. 1 when the U.S. Congress failed to pass a funding bill, causing a pause in funding to federal facilities and lapsed programs. This resulted in employees being fired or temporarily laid off.
On Nov. 9, the U.S. Senate passed a bill to reopen the government through Jan. 30, 2026. The bill is pending House approval.
Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management Gary Ray wrote in an email to The Star that there are currently no delays in awarding federal financial aid, state aid and institutional scholarships for Texas State University.
“Texas State has been monitoring the shutdown since it began. Enrollment Management has sent an update to key [Texas State] offices so we could provide the latest information to students,” Ray wrote.
Ray wrote that delays in processing and distributing work-study funds are expected if the shutdown continues into next semester.
Work-study eligibility is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which gives part-time jobs to students in financial need to help pay for college.
“While core financial aid operations like Pell Grants and federal loans continue due to mandatory funding, federal work-study relies on annual appropriations,” Ray wrote.
Ray wrote that students are encouraged to file for financial aid for the spring semester sooner because the oldest requests will be processed first once the government shutdown ends.
“While aid disbursement continues, loan forgiveness applications and support services may face delays due to furloughed staff,” Ray wrote. “About 87–95% of [Department of Education] staff are furloughed, which could slow down responses to student inquiries and technical issues with Federal Aid Application.”
Texas State offers the Bobcat Promise, which covers students’ cost of attendance up to eight continuous long semesters; however, this is only available for first-time freshmen.
Nalani Pennick, a healthcare administration senior, said she currently relies on the Bobcat Promise, Pell Grants, subsidized and unsubsidized student loans to attend Texas State.
“I’m about $20,000 in debt, but I’m about $7,000 in debt to the school. I’m trying to get that figured out. It’s always been really difficult,” Pennick said. “It makes it really scary because I graduate in December, and I have to come up with $7,000 … that’s a lot of money.”
Pennick said no one taught her how to deal with the finances and payment plans Texas State put her in. She wants to come back to Texas State for her master’s, but is worried about the price.
“If I’m not able to get assistance from either the university or the government, there’s no way I can afford college,” Pennick said.
Matthew Hood, associate professor in finance and economics and co-chair of the Financial Management Association Student Organization, wrote in an email to The Star that students need to understand the costs and benefits of going to college, otherwise “it is closer to gambling.”
“The total student loan debt is closing in on $2 trillion. Offers of easy credit now are constraining life choices for people with student loans, even into their forties,” Hood wrote.
Hood wrote that the amount of time college students spend managing their finances is about eight hours per year.
Associate Vice Provost for Curriculum and Academic Programs Jeff Housman said there should be no direct impact on courses offered to students, even if some choose to take a semester break due to the shutdown.
Pennick said as a first-generation student, it’s hard to support herself throughout college and sometimes feels like an “impossible feat.”
“I feel like the real reason I went to college is for my family to support them, because they supported me for 18 years, and somewhat through college,” Pennick said. “…Hopefully getting this degree and a master’s degree will be enough to support them the way that they really have supported me throughout my whole life.”
