Tucked inside the “One Big Beautiful Bill” moving through Congress are several provisions that could strip millions of Americans of their college opportunities—and that's a tragedy we must avert.

Alongside efforts to defund TRIO programs, federal Pell Grants are also under attack. As the largest federal grant program for undergraduates, Pell was designed to help students from low-income households. But proposed changes would severely limit eligibility, reducing or eliminating aid for many first-generation and low-income students.

Under current law, students enrolled less than half-time—or fewer than 6 credits per semester—receive prorated Pell Grants. But the proposed changes raise that to 7.5 credits per semester and tightens the definition of “full-time” to 15 credits per semester (or 30 per year). 

So what are the consequences?

• • The Congressional Budget Office “estimates that under this provision, more than half of students currently enrolled would receive smaller grants.”
  • A Center for American Progress report estimates that “two-thirds, about 4.4 million students, would have their award amount prorated based on the number of credits they were enrolled in, or they would lose their Pell Grants completely due to the new half-time enrollment requirement” and NCAN, too, states “20% of current recipients would lose access to the Pell Grant entirely.” 

• Inside Higher Education reports community colleges would be particularly hard hit, as part-time students “make up more than two-thirds of community college enrollees nationwide.”

• A recent article from Forbes identified the top forty four-year colleges who received the most Pell dollars—“Thirty-six of them are public colleges, with 14 from California, nine from Texas and four from Florida.”

The truth is simple: Pell Grants are one of our nation’s best investments in economic mobility. They’ve opened the doors of higher education to millions of students who otherwise might never have had the chance. They need expansion—not erosion.

A recent letter signed by over 170 organizations—including FirstGen Forward—states “Fully funding the Pell Grant program is one of the smartest, most targeted investments lawmakers can make to fuel economic growth. By making increases to targeted grant aid, lawmakers will reduce student loan borrowing, increase graduation rates, and improve labor market outcomes.”

The Senate is currently working on its proposal, after which both the Senate and House versions will need to be reconciled. To #AdvocateFirstGen, we encourage you to communicate to your representatives and suggest that Congress should:

• Reject the bill’s new credit thresholds and restore the 12‑credit full‑time and 6‑credit half‑time definitions;
• Protect first-generation, low-income, part-time, and nontraditional students;
• Preserve surplus Pell funds for student aid—not budget gimmicks; and
• Expand Pell by doubling the award and indexing it to inflation.

We must decide: Will we stand by policies that expand opportunity—or abandon the students who need it most?

The answer should be clear. Act now to save, strengthen, and expand Pell—not strangle it.