The U.S. federal government shut down on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to agree on a budget for the 2026 fiscal year. As both sides of the aisle point fingers and remain at an impasse, the effects of the shutdown impact millions of federal employees, students and citizens alike.
Agencies such as the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education have seen closures, furloughs and exemptions. With November approaching, essential services such as SNAP, federal research grants, and federal work-study are put in jeopardy as contingency funding runs out.
Students have begun to wonder how they will be affected by these closures and suspensions.
Arianni Beras, a senior criminal justice major, said she is “a little concerned” as the government shutdown delays her applications for full-time positions at federal agencies. She also shared worries about losing federal loans and work funding.
“[The shutdown] will affect the federal work funding,” she said. “If I’m taking any loans or anything now, it will be delayed.”
Other students like Grace Liu, a junior biology major, are worried about how public resources will be affected.
“One day if I’m going to school… and the bus driver said I’m not going to do this anymore… I don’t have any public transportation to take,” Liu said.
Liu also questioned whether her research would be affected. She said the school funds her biology research.
“I don’t really know how the government should impact that,” she said.
The Office of Grants and Research Services did not respond to a request for comment.
As students deal with these issues, some faculty members pointed out that as the stalemate draws on, the ripple effects grow increasingly concerning. Ty’Asia Bullock, the director of the Division of Volunteer Efforts (DOVE) Service Learning, said the program could face restricted access to “community partners,” which could make it difficult for students to get their service hours. However, Bullock said her main concern lies in the potential impact on federally funded programs.
“I’m more so thinking about the potential impact on those communities… I’m thinking about the food bank, Jersey Care Alliance,” she said.
A student worker for DOVE, who requested anonymity for financial privacy reasons, spoke on the impact of losing access to these programs.
“The food stamps have been completely cut,” the student said. “My family relies on food stamps, and we need it. How are we gonna pay for groceries and stuff?”
The student added that the effects extend beyond food assistance, expressing concern for friends and family impacted by disruptions to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Social Security.
While many domestic students worry about lapses in social services, international students face a different set of challenges. During previous government shutdowns, visa meetings and social security applications were delayed or even terminated. This precedent raises many questions for international students who rely on these services. Despite these fears and challenges, many programs and agencies have been running on contingency funds and pre-existing shutdown plans that help soften the blow.
SHU is prepared to face any challenges that may arise. Johanna Pan-Carr, the director of International Student Services, said international students should experience “no disruption to their studies, travel, or visa applications.”
“The university will continue to monitor developments closely and provide guidance and support to our international community,” she added.
A complete guide to government shutdown resources can be found here.
Brandon Strohl is a writer for The Setonian’s News section. He can be reached at brandon.strohl@student.shu.edu.
