One Big Beautiful Bill Act: What Does It Mean For Barry Students?
By Helena Mascara
New federal financial aid rules could change how Barry University students pay for college. From Pell Grant eligibility to student loan limits, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act brings changes that could affect students, families and the university's finances.
Students whose cost of attendance is fully covered by nonfederal financial assistance will no longer qualify for a Pell Grant, according to Barry University's website. This and many other blowbacks affecting Barry students are the result of the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which was signed into law on July 4, 2025.
Students may also lose eligibility if their student aid index (SAI) exceeds twice the maximum Pell Grant award. The bill’s changes to federal student financial aid take effect at Barry University this 2026 - 2027 academic year. Additionally, federal loan eligibility may be adjusted based on enrollment. Students who are not enrolled full time for the entire academic year could see changes to their loan amounts, and enrollment in one semester may affect eligibility in another.
OBBBA introduces significant changes to a slew of other federal financial aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education, which could affect how students and their families pay for college, particularly those who rely on federal loans to cover tuition and other educational expenses.
To start, the measure specifically introduces new limits on federal loans for graduate and professional students. A program that will take a direct hit is the nursing program at Barry.
According to the NPS Schools website, graduate students nursing “will see the biggest change, with annual limits remaining $20,500 but lifetime limits decreasing from $138,500 to $100,000.”
However, a transition provision allows certain students who borrowed a Federal Direct Loan before July 1, 2026, to continue borrowing under the previous limits for up to three academic years or the remainder of their program, whichever comes first.
After repeated attempts to reach the Barry School of Nursing for a comment, The Buccaneer did not receive a response by the time of this publication.
Parent PLUS loans have also been affected. Parents use these loans to help their children pay for college expenses not covered by other financial aid. These loans are in the parent’s name, and the parent is solely responsible for repayment.
Previously, parents could borrow up to the full cost of attendance for their child’s education. Under the new rules, parents can borrow up to $20,000 annually, with a lifetime limit of $65,000 per student. The transition provision applies to eligible existing borrowers, but once the applicable $65,000 lifetime limit is reached, additional borrowing through the Parent PLUS program will no longer be available.
Another major change is the introduction of a combined lifetime federal student loan limit of $257,500. This limit includes federal loans borrowed for undergraduate, graduate and professional education. For students pursuing multiple degrees, this could affect how much federal funding remains available throughout their entire education.
As a result, families who need funding beyond the new federal loan limits may have to explore other options, including private student loans, university payment plans and scholarships.
Students can search for scholarship opportunities through Scholarship Universe, an online platform that connects applicants with university scholarships and selected external awards. However, these alternatives may not fully replace the federal funding students previously relied on.
Beyond the immediate changes to financial aid, the OBBBA could also affect Barry University financially over the next decade.
In the American Enterprise Institutes article, “How the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Would Hold Colleges Accountable for Outcomes,” by Preston Cooper, the legislation's proposed accountability system ties certain financial consequences for colleges to the outcomes of their former students. Under this approach, institutions could face penalties based on the relationship between graduates' student loan debt and their earnings after leaving school.
"Over the next decade, I estimate that the government will raise $17 billion in risk-sharing penalties and pay out $13.5 billion in PROMISE Grants," said Preston Cooper. "The amounts concerned will start small; colleges will pay just $554 million in risk-sharing penalties in 2028. This will rise to over $3 billion per year by 2035."
Cooper's article explains that private nonprofit colleges could face substantial financial penalties under the new system. He estimates that four-year private nonprofit institutions will collectively pay nearly $6 billion in risk-sharing penalties while receiving approximately $630 million in PROMISE Grants.
He attributes part of this difference to the higher prices charged by many private institutions, which can contribute to greater student debt and potentially increase their exposure to penalties.
The article's chart, Institutions with Largest Net Penalties Under OBBB, 2026 to 2035, lists Barry University at No.19, with a projected net penalty of negative $94,159,080. This figure represents the estimated difference between the penalties Barry could pay and the PROMISE Grant funding it could receive over the period covered by the chart.
Since the net figure is negative, it indicates that the institution is projected to pay substantially more in penalties than it receives in grant funding. However, this is only a projection and not a confirmed bill or an amount Barry has already paid.
For Barry, this estimate raises questions about how the legislation could affect the university's finances and its ability to support students over time. If the projected penalties materialize, the university may face additional financial pressure as it works to maintain academic programs, student services and financial assistance.
The chart does not establish whether Barry will increase tuition, reduce services, or make other budgetary changes but Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services Betsy Thomas told The Buccaneer what she does know.
"Barry periodically adjusts tuition and fees as part of our regular budgeting process to support the cost of delivering a high-quality education, and those decisions are separate from changes in federal legislation,” she said. “At the same time, Barry is closely monitoring the changes resulting from OBBBA and the potential impact on students and families, particularly changes to federal financial aid and student borrowing. Changes resulting from OBBBA may affect individual students differently depending on their financial circumstances, enrollment status, academic program and borrowing history."
Ultimately, the OBBBA could reshape both how Barry students finance their education and how the university manages its resources. As the act takes effect, students and families will need to understand their eligibility, review their borrowing options and explore alternative sources of funding.
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