The 43-day federal shutdown ended with a Jan. 30, 2026 compromise deadline, and while Utah Tech University avoided major disruptions, some services still experienced minor delays.
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass the required appropriations bills or a temporary funding measure, forcing many federal agencies to halt operations until a new deal is approved. The duration of this shutdown was the longest in U.S. history.
The reason behind the shutdown and how it has affected the country
On Oct. 1, the government of the United States shut down due to the Republican and Democratic parties disagreeing on funding legislation for government agencies — because the funding would take away from Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The Republican-led House of Representatives passed a bill that would keep the government funded at existing levels without adding new provisions. Democrats rejected the bill because the bill did not extend the expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies. This change would make health care less affordable for many Americans.
The funding lapse led to a 43-day shutdown. Here’s how it affected the country:
- The fallout left suspended food to many low-income Americans and both delayed and canceled thousands of flights for airline passengers.
- The shutdown was predicted to cost between $7 and $14 billion in economic output.
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) suffered delays in benefit issuance.
- At least 670,000 federal employees were furloughed, while roughly 730,000 worked without pay.
How it ended
The shutdown ended when President Donald Trump signed the bill after enough Democratic senators aligned with Republicans to approve a compromise deal that funds most federal agencies through Jan. 30.
How it affected Utah Tech University
J.D. Robertson, executive director of financial aid and scholarships, said the Federal Student Aid programs are not affected by government shutdowns.
“Students are able to complete their FAFSA and the school is still able to award and pay out federal aid during these times,” Robertson said.
The shutdown, however, did cause a delay in payments to the university coming from the VA (Veterans Affairs), but the university extended the payment deadline for those students.
Tamron Lee, assistant vice president and dean of students, said there was also concern that the shutdown would affect food donations to the Blazer Food Pantry, but the pantry was not affected in the end. Still, there are concerns that a future shutdown can happen again because the compromise ends while students are attending the spring semester of 2026.
“The biggest potential concerns related to a prolonged shutdown include disruptions in federal aid for programs such as FAFSA, Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, SNAP and VA benefits,” Lee said.
In case of a future shutdown happening, Lee said the best resource for students affected is the Blazer Food Pantry, the Financial Aid Office and the Veterans and Military Affairs office.
Although there are potential risks for the future, some students didn’t feel noticeable changes on their life because of the shutdown.
“I wasn’t affected by it at all,” said Cole Finlinson, a sophomore digital media major from St. George. Even though he received federal aid, he said he didn’t notice much difference academic-wise or financial-wise.
What is next?
CBS News said the cost of health care “remains in limbo” for roughly 22 million Americans after the U.S. government reopened.
Low and middle-income households that previously qualified for the tax credits will likely see their Affordable Care Act premiums more than double next year, rising from an average of $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026, according to a KFF analysis.
The American Council on Education said colleges aren’t expected have issues with financial aid, but international student visas and Federal Student Aid support staff may be affected if a similar situations happens again.
