Changes to federal student loans starting July 1, 2026:
- The Grad PLUS Loan will no longer be available for new borrowers.
- New annual and lifetime borrowing limits will apply.
- These changes mainly affect students who begin borrowing on or after July 1, 2026.
Apply for Direct Unsubsidized Loans
Federal financial aid for graduate students is primarily in the form of Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Students begin the process of applying for Direct Unsubsidized Loans by filing out theÌý.
º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s school code to complete the FAFSA is G21989.
Direct Unsubsidized Loan eligibility includes:
- US Citizenship or eligible noncitizen
- Not in default on Direct Loans
- Not in repayment status for federal grants
- Continuing students maintainÌýSatisfactory Academic Progress.
Submission of the FAFSA notifies º£½ÇÂÒÂ× of student’s interest in receiving Direct Unsubsidized Loans. FAFSA verifies the student’s identification and citizenship information between the Social Security Administration and Department of Education to report student eligibility status to º£½ÇÂÒÂ×. Completion of the FAFSA does not secure loans.
Once the FAFSA is completed and no additional information is needed, students are required to complete the following steps to secure the Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
- Entrance Counseling: Loan entrance counseling is required for all borrowers attending º£½ÇÂÒÂ× for the first time. Entrance counseling educates students on their rights and responsibilities and ensures understanding of the terms and conditions of Direct Unsubsidized Loans, including .
- Master Promissory Note (MPN): Students complete an MPN, which is a legal agreement regarding loan repayment.
- Loan Acceptance: Students accept or decline Direct Unsubsidized Loans online via theÌý.
The priority deadline for the 2026-2027 FAFSA completion is May 30, 2027.
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (Grad PLUS)
Grad PLUS eligibility:
Grad PLUS loan eligibility is being phased out for current students under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Answer these questions to determine exception status. Note that these are broad questions and may not cover every scenario.
To begin to determine if a student is possibly eligible for an exception, the student must answer yes to the following two questions.
- Did the student receive a Direct loan disbursement (unsub or Grad PLUS) before July 1, 2026?Ìý
- Is the student enrolled (taking classes) in º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s MA or PsyD program as of June 30, 2026?ÌýÌý
- Students who complete the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× MA program and begin the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× PsyD program in September 2026 are considered new borrowers and are not eligible.
Determine length of exception eligibility:
- MA student who has attended 3 or more semesters as of August 31, 2026 is not eligible.
- PsyD student who has attended 12 or more semesters as of August 31, 2026 is not eligible.
Apply for Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (Grad PLUS)
Students who are still eligible for a Grad PLUS loan and the Direct Unsubsidized Loan is insufficient, may apply by filling out the . Note: Students who apply for a Grad PLUS Loan are subject to a credit check.
º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s school code to complete the Graduate PLUS Loan application is G21989.
Once the application is completed and no additional information is needed, students are required to complete the following steps to secure the Grad PLUS Loan.
- Entrance Counseling: Loan entrance counseling is required for all borrowers attending º£½ÇÂÒÂ× for the first time. Entrance counseling educates students on their rights and responsibilities and ensures understanding of the terms and conditions of Graduate PLUS Loans, including . Students may complete the loan entrance counseling for both the Unsubsidized and PLUS loans at the same time.
- Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Grad PLUS Loans: Students complete an MPN, which is a legal agreement regarding loan repayment.Ìý
The priority deadline for the 2026-2027 FAFSA completion is May 30, 2027.
If a Grad PLUS Loan is denied, contact Student Loan Support Services at (800) 433-3243.
Federal Direct Loan Exit Counseling
The Department of Education requires federal loan borrowers to complete exit counseling prior to graduation, if enrollment falls below half-time, or if a student ceases to be enrolled. Exit counseling allows students to update contact information, review , and serves as consumer awareness. The º£½ÇÂÒÂ× Financial Aid Office will notify students when Direct Loan Exit Counseling needs to be completed.
Private Education Loans
º£½ÇÂÒÂ× understands that students may need to explore private education loans to bridge the funding gap under this new legislation. º£½ÇÂÒÂ× does not maintain a preferred lender list and does not endorse, recommend, or promote any specific lender. The private education loan resources listed below are provided for informational purposes only to assist students with their research. Students are responsible for determining which option best meets their needs. Some things to consider when exploring private education loans are origination fees, disbursement fees, early pay off penalties, deferment options, repayment options, interest rates, etc.Ìý Additional resources will be listed as º£½ÇÂÒÂ× becomes aware of them.
- Ìý
- Currently developing an Advanced Degree loan program (º£½ÇÂÒÂ× PsyD students) with an increased line of credit. Until then, the Graduate Line of Credit is available.
- An Advanced Degree Loan Program (º£½ÇÂÒÂ× PsyD students) with an increased line of credit is tentatively scheduled to go live on June 1. Until then, the Graduate Line of Credit is available.
- Earnest offers private loans to graduate students with a minimum 650 credit score without need for cosigners or current income.
- Ìý
- College Ave offers private loans to graduate students that come with flexible terms and options, competitive rates, and no origination, application or guarantee fees.
º£½ÇÂÒÂ× recognizes that these changes will impact students and is committed to identifying resources to support students during their time at º£½ÇÂÒÂ×.Ìý Additional clarifying information will be posted to the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× website.Ìý If you have questions that are not addressed on our website, please email the VP of Services & Operations ([email protected]). Hearing from students will help to create a more robust website.
