2025 Federal Shutdown FAQs

A government shutdown happens when Congress does not appropriate funds or pass a temporary extension (called a continuing resolution). Without funds, many federal agencies are required by law to stop non-essential operations until funding is restored.

Yes. The most recent partial shutdown of some federal agencies was in late 2018 to early 2019 and lasted 35 days. The most recent full shutdown of the federal government began on October 1, 2013, and lasted 16 days. Past shutdowns have varied in length from a few days to more than a month.

Student Aid

• Federal student aid (Pell Grants, loans, GI Bill benefits) is typically not affected in the short term. Most financial aid is funded a year in advance and already disbursed at the beginning of the semester.
• Students applying for new aid or loan forgiveness may experience processing delays because the U.S. Department of Education furloughs most employees during a shutdown.
• Financial aid staff should be aware that while disbursement continues, regular interaction with Federal Student Aid (FSA) staff may be disrupted if the shutdown extends

Research and Federal Grants

• Existing grants already awarded will generally continue, but new grants, renewals, or reviews of pending applications cannot be processed during a shutdown. Federal agencies may have backlogs, missed panels, and canceled reviews.
• Stop-work orders or delayed reimbursements for ongoing federally funded projects may occur. Researchers should inquire with program managers about agency contingency plans, or you can contact the Office for Research.
• Collaborations requiring access to federal laboratories or other government resources may face significant challenges during a shutdown.

Veterans and Military-Affiliated Students

• GI Bill benefits are usually already certified before fall, but a prolonged shutdown could slow benefit processing.

International Students and Scholars

• Consular services (visas, passports) may continue if funds are available, but processing times can slow.
• Other immigration functions, such as changes of visa status, could be delayed if federal staff are furloughed.

Regulations

• The issuance of proposed and final rules, review of comments, and occurrence of other regulatory actions could be delayed during a shutdown.

Government Services

• Many federal employees are furloughed and unable to answer phones or emails. This means less support for students, researchers, and administrators trying to resolve issues. There may be spouses or family members of UT San Antonio employees impacted by the shutdown. Support services for employees and family members available through UT’s Employee Assistance Programs.
• The longer a shutdown continues, the greater the backlog when agencies reopen.
• The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed agencies to prepare for possible reductions in force (RIFs) rather than temporary furloughs. This creates uncertainty about how quickly normal operations will resume after the shutdown is resolved.

Patient Care Services

• We expect reimbursements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for patient care services to continue as an essential function; however, we are monitoring closely. We are also monitoring CMS and potential Congressional action related to reimbursement of telehealth services to ensure that we remain compliant with the associated CMS billing regulations.

• Stay informed. Updates will be shared as information becomes available.
• Plan for possible delays. If you are working on grant submissions or federal benefit processing, anticipate slower response times.
• Research projects and UT San Antonio employees who will be most directly impacted are those with the closest ties to a federal agency or federal employees. For example: cooperative agreements with a federal research partner; UTSA or UT Health San Antonio students receiving direct stipends from the federal government under training grants; University projects or employees who are working on-site at a federal facility.
• Reach out if you have concerns. Both the academic and health campuses have designated contacts for financial aid, research administration, and international student support. 
  • Financial Aid
    • One Stop https://onestop.utsa.edu/ (academic campus)
    • https://students.uthscsa.edu/financial-aid/ (health campus)
  • Research Administration
    • https://research.utsa.edu/about/directory.html (academic campus)
    • https://uthscsa.edu/research/about/directory (health campus)
  • International Student Support
    • One Stop https://onestop.utsa.edu/ (academic campus)
    • OIS: https://wp.uthscsa.edu/ois/ (health campus)
• Support services for employees and family members available through UT’s Employee Assistance Programs.

• American Council on Education: Government Shutdowns and Higher Education

Links to agencies who have posted their updated contingency plans:

• U.S. Department of Defense 
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Department of Education