What’s Changing?
Starting July 1, 2026, the Graduate PLUS Loan program is changing under the OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). If you’re planning to use federal loans to help cover your graduate program costs, here’s what the new rules mean for you.
New Borrowers
Graduate PLUS Loans will no longer be available to you at all.
This is a significant change, since Graduate PLUS Loans have traditionally been a federal option for covering costs beyond the Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
Already Borrowing? You May Qualify for an “Interim Exception”
If you have a direct federal loan disbursed by June 22, 2026, you may qualify for an Interim Exception. This allows you the option of borrowing Graduate PLUS Loans under the current rules for a limited time.
Current borrowers may continue accessing Graduate PLUS Loans until the earlier of:
- The end of the student's published program completion date, or
- Completion of the degree program, or
- Withdraw from a term, or
- Three academic years.
Professional Student Borrowing Limits
Some graduate‑level programs fall under the federal definition of “professional programs,” which have their own borrowing caps. At Wichita State, this applies only to Clinical Psychology Ph.D. students
Professional students have:
- A $50,000 annual borrowing limit
- A $200,000 lifetime limit
What This Means for WSU Graduate Students
If you’re planning to start a graduate program in Fall 2026 or later, you’ll want to explore other funding options early, such as:
- Graduate assistantships
- Scholarships or fellowships
- Employer tuition assistance
- Private educational loans
If you’re already borrowing Graduate PLUS Loans, your eligibility under the Interim Exception may give you time to complete your program without major changes.
Our office is here to help you understand how these changes affect your specific situation and what your options look like moving forward. Make an appointment through Navigate or at wichita.edu/finaidappt.