Financial Aid Changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are effective July 1, 2026. The information on this web page will be updated as additional information becomes available. Please email Financial.Aid@ttuhsc.edu if you have questions regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Elimination of Grad PLUS Loan Program
- The Bill eliminates the Direct PLUS Loan program for graduate and professional students (commonly referred to as a Grad PLUS Loan) for new borrowers effective July 1, 2026.
- Legacy Provision: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled in a credentialed program, the borrower can borrow from the Grad PLUS Loan program for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to be credentialed, whichever is less. The Grad PLUS Loan will no longer be available after June 30, 2029.
New Parent PLUS Loan Annual and Aggregate Loan Limits
- All parents (combined) may borrow $20,000 per year per dependent student and a $65,000 aggregate limit per dependent student (without regard to amounts forgiven, repaid, canceled or discharged).
- Legacy Provision: If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while the dependent student is enrolled in a credentialed program, the parent can continue to borrow under current loan limits for 3 academic years or the remainder of their dependent student’s expected time to be credentialed, whichever is less.
Summary of Additional Changes
A summary of other changes from the bill is provided below.
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- Prevents students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) more than double the maximum Pell Grant award amount from being Pell eligible.
- Reinstates the exemptions for family farm and family-owned small business assets from the SAI calculation.
- Annual and maximum loan limits remain the same.
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- Annual loan limit for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is $20,500 per academic year
- Maximum graduate loan level borrowing is $100,000
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- Annual loan limit for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is $50,000 per academic year
- Maximum graduate and professional loan debt is $200,000
Maximum undergraduate, graduate, and professional federal student loan limit is $257,500
*The Department of Education has established that Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) are professional programs. All other programs at TTUHSC are considered undergraduate or graduate programs.
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There will be 2 federal student loan repayment plans for borrowers with a loan on or after July 1, 2026.
- The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will be the new income-based repayment plan for borrowers.
- Standard Repayment will offer 4 fixed terms of 10, 15, 20 or 25 years based on loan debt.
- More information on both repayment plans will be forthcoming from the Department of Education.
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Beginning with the 2026-2027 award year (Summer 2026), federal regulations require TTUHSC to reduce a student's Federal Direct Loan eligibility if they are enrolled less than full-time. The loan amount is based on the student's enrollment status at the time of disbursement.
At TTUHSC, full-time enrollment is defined as:
- Undergraduate: 12 or more hours per term
- Graduate: 9 or more hours per fall/spring term or 6 hours during the summer term
Enrollment Status
Loan Eligibility
Full-Time 100%
Three-Quarter Time 75%
Half-Time 50%
Less Than Half-Time Not eligible
Important Information
- Applies to Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Graduate PLUS Loans.
- Students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive federal student loans.
- If enrollment changes before loan disbursement, loan eligibility will be recalculated and adjusted based on the student's final enrollment level.
Note: The Schedule of Reduction (SOR) is a federal requirement and applies to all institutions participating in the Federal Direct Loan Program. TTUHSC follows these federal regulations when determining loan eligibility. Students thinking of enrolling part-time or dropping a class should understand the implications to their financial aid eligibility.
