CGS Urges Congress to Reject the FY 2027 President’s Budget Request
CGS Contact: Kelley Karnes
602-791-8278 / kkarnes@cgs.nche.edu
PDF version of press release
Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) calls on the 119th Congress to reject the Administration’s FY 2027 Budget proposal to cut federal funding for research and student success programs which threatens the future of American innovation. This year’s proposed cuts are in stark odds with the last appropriations legislation, which saw bipartisan Congressional support for such programs.
With the appropriations process underway, CGS encourages Congress to continue to support federal funding for basic scientific research that trains America’s researchers who contribute to technological innovations and life-saving medical breakthroughs. CGS also encourages them to support high-impact programs that help every student from every path thrive in their degree programs and prepare for the workforce.
The Administration is proposing steep cuts to U.S. science research funding, reducing the budgets at the National Science Foundation (NSF) by 55 percent, the National Institutes of Health by 12 percent, and the Department of Energy Office of Science by 15 percent.
These proposed cuts will not only impact the amount of American research conducted but will also mean less graduate student participation, which has been integral to the research productivity at U.S. colleges and universities. In 2025, more than 40,000 graduate students and 4,500 postdoctoral associates were funded by grants from the NSF. According to the FY 2027 NSF budget, the agency estimates that only 13,000 graduate students and 1,000 postdoctoral associates will be funded next year.
The budget also proposes a $2.7 billion cut to higher education programs, including eliminating $350 million for Minority-Serving Institutions, ending TRIO, cutting $81 million from international and foreign language education, and reducing Federal Work-Study to $123 million from $1.23 billion. These programs support veterans, students with disabilities, first-generation, low-income, and international students by providing essential services and training opportunities to ensure students complete their degrees.
“Cuts to student success programs and federal research funding not only shortchanges graduate students, but it hurts all Americans who depend on a specialized workforce in scientific and medical fields,” said Chevelle Newsome, President of CGS. “Less funding means fewer scientists, engineers and innovators who drive technological breakthroughs and life-saving medical advances. Undermining this pipeline weakens America’s resilience and erodes its edge as a global leader.”
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About CGS
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 460 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through federal advocacy, research, and the development of innovative programs.