The federal government shut down Wednesday after Congress failed to reach an agreement on a budget dispute over healthcare coverage before the end of the fiscal year.
As a result, the federal government must halt all non-essential functions until funding is approved by Congress and signed into law.
This is the first government shutdown since the 35 day shutdown in 2018, the longest in American history. While government shutdowns typically last between hours or days, it’s unclear how long this shutdown will last before Congress comes to an agreement.
Will the shutdown affect the Boston University community?
BU Spokesperson Colin Riley said the shutdown will likely not affect students, including student loans, unless students need to interact with a federal agency.
“Most people [at BU] haven’t noticed anything, unless you’re involved with a federal agency or trying to go to a federal park or have other interaction with federal employees,” Riley said.
How will the shutdown impact financial aid?
Students who use federal student aid should remain unaffected, according to an BU Today article published Wednesday. The Department of Education said it will continue to disburse student aid, including Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student loans. Outstanding student debt payments are still required.
Will research or federal grants be affected?
The University is guiding research teams to stay up to date with progress on the shutdown and to understand the extent to which they may be affected, according to BU Today.
The Government shutdown information hub lays out impacts and considerations for teams, including posted guidelines and deadlines for grant applications and preparing for award announcements to be delayed.
How could the shutdown affect students studying abroad?
Current U.S. students working or studying abroad will not be affected. All U.S. embassies and consulates abroad will remain operational for national security reasons, according to BU Today.
What is BU doing to support the community?
BU’s federal relations team works to advocate on behalf of BU’s priorities as the federal government considers policies affecting research universities, including support for student financial aid, scientific research and the humanities.
The federal actions page provides the most recent updates to guide students through the shutdown, Riley said.
