In a move that critics say could shut the door on college dreams for millions of low-income students, the Trump administration has proposed slashing federal Pell Grant funding—a cornerstone of student aid for over four decades.
The White House’s 2026 budget request calls for cutting the maximum annual Pell Grant from $7,395 to $5,710—the lowest level in over a decade. Pell Grants are a primary form of federal financial aid for students from low-income families, and nearly 40% of undergraduates currently rely on them to help pay for college.
The proposed cuts come amid efforts by Republicans in Congress to pass a sweeping tax and spending bill. The White House has framed the reduction as a necessary response to a projected shortfall in the Pell program. But opponents argue that the move would do far more harm than good.
“The money we invest in post-high school education isn’t charity—it helps Americans get good jobs, start businesses, and contribute to our economy,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in a statement to CNBC. “No kid’s education should be defunded to pay for giant tax giveaways for billionaires.”
The administration’s proposal also scales back the federal work-study program and tightens eligibility requirements for Pell Grants by increasing the number of credits students must take per semester to qualify. Experts say the added burden would disproportionately affect part-time students, student parents, and working learners—those already balancing school with jobs or family obligations.
“These are students that could use it the most,” Lesley Turner, associate professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, told CNBC.
Education advocates are particularly alarmed by the depth of the proposed cuts and the timing, given rising tuition costs. The College Board reports that the average cost of attending a four-year private college now exceeds $58,000 per year, while public in-state institutions average nearly $25,000.
Mark Kantrowitz, a prominent higher education analyst, called the proposed cuts “extreme,” noting that “every past shortfall has been followed by Congress providing additional funding.”
Sameer Gadkaree, president and CEO of The Institute for College Access & Success, warned the changes would be devastating: “If adopted, [the proposed cuts] would require millions of enrolled students to drop out or take on more debt to complete their degrees—likely denying countless prospective low- and moderate-income students the opportunity to go to college altogether.”
With nearly three-quarters of undergraduates relying on some form of financial aid, critics say the Trump administration’s move risks reversing decades of progress toward widening college access—particularly for those traditionally excluded from elite institutions.
