Unfortunately, government shutdowns tend to cause many important services to stop operating. This one is no exception. The government shutdown has caused colleges across the US to take a bit of a hit. The IRS is currently unable to verify if a student is eligible for financial aid. The branch of the IRS that oversees the verification of financial aid has been closed. Fortunately, most students have already handled their financial aid for the current semester. However, those who haven’t yet are currently unable to have their aid verified.
Going forward, students will still be able to apply for financial aid for the spring semester. However, students that have yet to receive their financial aid for this semester have been impacted. The shutdown may hit the most vulnerable students quite hard, as some students have already reported they will likely have to drop out of this semester if they cannot secure their aid.
On the bright side, the shutdown has not affected eligibility for any new financial aid. Most of the Department of Education financial aid websites are still running. Students can also still make student loan payments and receive support if they have any questions or concerns.
