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Graduate & Professional Students

Graduate PLUS Loans Ending

Beginning July 1 2026, the Graduate PLUS Loan program will not longer be available for new borrowers. In the past, graduate students could use Graduate PLUS Loans to borrow up to the full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, books, and other expenses). After July 1, 2026, this option will no longer be available for new borrowers.

 

Changes to Direct Unsubsidized Loan Limits

• Graduate Students:
  • Annual loan limit: $20,500 (no change)
  • New total borrowing limit: $100,000 for graduate study (previously, graduate students could borrow up to $138,500 total, including undergraduate loans)
  • Undergraduate loans do not count toward this $100,000 limit

• Professional Program Students (our dentistry and medicine)

  • Annual loan limit: $50,000
  • Total borrowing limit: $200,000

 

Exception for Current Students (Grandfathered Provision)

• Some students may still be able to use Graduate PLUS Loans temporarily.
  • You may qualify IF (1) You were already enrolled in the same program at the same school on June 30, 2026, AND (2) You received a Direct Loan (Unsubsidized or Graduate PLUS) for that program before July 1, 2026.

If eligible, you may continue borrowing under the current rules until you complete your program or for up to three more years, whichever comes first.

 

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Undergraduate Students

Parent PLUS Loan Limits (Starting July 1, 2026)

• New Parent PLUS Loans will have limits.
  • Parents will be able to borrow up to $20,000 per year per student and up to $65,000 lifetime total per student

Previously, Parent PLUS Loans could cover the entire cost of attendance, with no specific dollar limit.

Note: To spread borrowing evenly across four years, families may consider borrowing approximately $16,250 or less per year.

 

Undergraduate Student Loan Limits (No Changes)

• Federal Direct Loan limits for undergraduate students remain the same.
  
  • Dependent Students
    • First year: $5,500 (up to $3,500 subsidized)
    • Second year: $6,500 (up to $4,500 subsidized)
    • Third year and beyond: $7,500 (up to $5,500 subsidized)
• Independent Students (or students whose parents cannot borrow PLUS loans): up to $12,500 per year
• Total Lifetime Limits: Dependent Students: $31,000, Independent Students: $57,500 

 

Pell Grant Changes (Starting 2026–27 Academic Year)

• Some students may no longer qualify for the Pell Grant under new rules.
  • You will not qualify for a Pell Grant if:
    • Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is 14,790 or higher, OR
    • Your grants and scholarships already cover your full cost of attendance
  • This may affect:
    • Students on full-ride scholarships that cover all educational expenses for tuition, food, housing, etc.
    • Students with large institutional or private scholarships.

 

Foreign Income Now Counts

Income earned outside the United States will now be included in the income calculation on the FAFSA. Because of this change, some families may see an increase to their SAI beginning in 2026-2027.

 

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All Students

New Lifetime Federal Loan Limit

• There will now be a maximum lifetime limit of $257,500 for all federal student loans combined. This includes undergraduate loans AND graduate/professional loans.

Note: Maximum lifetime limit does not include Parent PLUS loans.

 

Loan Limits for Part-Time Students

• Schools will now be required to reduce annual loan limits for students enrolled less than full-time.

 

Changes to Student Loan Repayment Plans

• The federal repayment system will be simplified. Borrowers will have two main repayment options: (1) Standard Repayment Plan (tiered payment schedule), and (2) Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), a new income-based repayment option.

Current income-driven repayment plans will end in 2028.