{"id":859,"date":"2026-06-05T11:45:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/student-financial-services\/?page_id=859"},"modified":"2026-06-05T12:05:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T17:05:38","slug":"obbba-changes-for-graduate-doctoral-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/student-financial-services\/obbba-changes-for-graduate-doctoral-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal Financial Aid Changes for Graduate and Doctoral Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n@media (max-width: 640px) {<br \/>  .responsive-card-table thead {<br \/>    display: none;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .responsive-card-table tbody tr {<br \/>    display: block;<br \/>    margin-bottom: 1rem;<br \/>    border: 1px solid #d4d4d4;<br \/>    border-radius: 4px;<br \/>    overflow: hidden;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .responsive-card-table tbody td {<br \/>    display: flex;<br \/>    justify-content: space-between;<br \/>    align-items: flex-start;<br \/>    gap: 1rem;<br \/>    border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4 !important;<br \/>    padding: 0.75rem 1rem !important;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .responsive-card-table tbody td:last-child {<br \/>    border-bottom: none !important;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .responsive-card-table tbody td::before {<br \/>    content: attr(data-label);<br \/>    font-weight: 700;<br \/>    font-size: 0.8rem;<br \/>    color: #4a4a4a;<br \/>    text-transform: uppercase;<br \/>    letter-spacing: 0.04em;<br \/>    flex-shrink: 0;<br \/>    max-width: 50%;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .layout {<br \/>    flex-direction: column !important;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .layout > div {<br \/>    width: 100% !important;<br \/>  }<br \/>  .table-wrap {<br \/>    overflow-x: auto;<br \/>  }<br \/>}<br \/><\/style>\n<p>The bulk of One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) modifications to all graduate and doctoral students include defining professional verses graduate programs, federal student loan proration implementation, loan lending limit changes, discontinuation of Graduate PLUS loans, and legacy provisions for previous Graduate PLUS loan borrowers.<\/p>\n<div style=\"color: #636363; font-weight: bold; text-transform: capitalize;\">Last updated: June 5, 2026<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section style=\"background-color: #f0efed; padding: 2.5rem 2rem; max-width: 1070px; margin: 0 auto;\" aria-labelledby=\"loan-limits-heading\">\n<h2>Professional vs. Graduate Level Defined Programs<\/h2>\n<p>The change in the definition of <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/announcements-events\/big-updates\/definitions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">professional program under the OBBBA<\/a> does not alter the annual loan limits for graduate students at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½. Students in graduate programs at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ will remain classified as a graduate student (not in a professional program under the new definition).<\/p>\n<h2>Loan Proration<\/h2>\n<p>For those eligible for federal student loans, amounts will now be based on exact enrollment. Some graduate and doctoral programs, for example Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Occupational Therapy require summer enrollment while other programs do not.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<h3 id=\"proration-heading\">Proration for Programs with No Summer Enrollment Required<\/h3>\n<div class=\"layout\" style=\"display: flex; gap: 2rem; align-items: flex-start;\">\n<p><!-- Left: prose --><\/p>\n<div class=\"prose\">\n<p>To qualify a student must still meet the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours a semester for Federal Loan based on academic level.<\/li>\n<li>Need at least 9 hours each semester to qualify for the maximum loan.*<\/li>\n<li>Less than 9 hours each semester there will be proration based on your exact enrollment.<\/li>\n<li>Examples:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>100% Loan Eligibility.*<\/strong> If you are enrolled in 9 credit hours in Fall and 9 hours in Spring (18 hours total), you will obtain 50% of annual loan eligibility in the Fall and 50% of annual loan eligibility in the Spring, totaling 100%.<\/li>\n<li><strong>66.67% Loan Eligibility.<\/strong> If you are enrolled in 6 credit hours in Fall and 6 hours in Spring (12 hours total), you will obtain 33.33% of annual loan eligibility in the Fall and 33.33% of annual loan eligibility in the Spring, totaling 66.67%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"footnote\">*The annual credit hour requirement is based on being enrolled in at least 18 credit hours. If your enrollment exceeds 9 credit hours in one semester to help balance out for terms where you may have enrolled less than full time, you may still be eligible for the full annual loan limit. Example: 6 credit hours fall + 12 credit hours Spring = 18 annual credit hours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- Right: table --><\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"table-wrap\">\n<table class=\"responsive-card-table\" style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;\" aria-labelledby=\"proration-heading\">\n<caption class=\"sr-only\">Loan percentage per semester based on enrollment status and credit hours<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ce1226;\">\n<th style=\"text-align: left; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;\" scope=\"col\">Enrollment Status<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;\" scope=\"col\">Credit Hours Per Semester<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;\" scope=\"col\">Percentage of Loans Per Semester<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Full Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">9 or more<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">50%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Three-Quarter Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">8<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">44.44%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Three-Quarter Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">7<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">38.89%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Three-Quarter Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">6<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">33.33%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">5<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">27.78%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">4<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">22.22%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">3<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">16.67%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Less Than Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">2<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">Not Eligible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Less Than Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">Not Eligible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"proration-heading\">Proration for Programs with Summer Enrollment Required<\/h3>\n<div class=\"layout\" style=\"display: flex; gap: 2rem; align-items: flex-start;\">\n<p><!-- Left: prose --><\/p>\n<div class=\"prose\">\n<p>To qualify a student must still meet the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Enrolled in at least 3 credit hours each semester \u2013 Fall, Spring, Summer \u2013 for Federal Loan based on academic level.<\/li>\n<li>Need at least 9 hours each semester \u2013 Fall, Spring, Summer \u2013 to qualify for the maximum loan.<\/li>\n<li>Less than 9 hours each semester there will be proration based on your exact enrollment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Examples:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>100% Loan Eligibility.*<\/strong> If you are enrolled in 9 hours in Fall, 9 hours in Spring, 9 hours in Summer (27 hours total) you will obtain 33.33% of annual loan eligibility in the Fall, 33.33% of annual loan eligibility in the Spring, and 33.33% of annual loan eligibility in the Summer, totaling 100%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"footnote\">*The annual credit hour requirement is based on being enrolled in at least 27 credit hours. If your enrollment exceed 9 credit hours in one semester to help balance out for terms where you may have enrolled less than full time, you may still be eligible for the full annual loan limit. Example: 6 credit hours fall + 12 credit hours Spring + 9 credit hours Summer = 27 annual credit hours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- Right: table --><\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"table-wrap\">\n<table class=\"responsive-card-table\" style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;\" aria-labelledby=\"proration-heading\">\n<caption class=\"sr-only\">Loan percentage per semester based on enrollment status and credit hours<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ce1226;\">\n<th style=\"text-align: left; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;\" scope=\"col\">Enrollment Status<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;\" scope=\"col\">Credit Hours Per Semester<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 0.8rem; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;\" scope=\"col\">Percentage of Loans Per Semester<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Full Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">9 or more<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">33.33%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Three-Quarter Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">8<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">29.46%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Three-Quarter Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">7<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">25.93%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Three-Quarter Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">6<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">32.22%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">5<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">18.52%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">4<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">14.81%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">3<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">11.11%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f5f5f5;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Less Than Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">2<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">Not Eligible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a;\" data-label=\"Enrollment Status\">Less Than Half Time<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a;\" data-label=\"Credit Hours Per Semester\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 1rem; color: #4a4a4a;\" data-label=\"Percentage of Loans Per Semester\">Not Eligible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; align-items: flex-start; gap: 1rem; background-color: #eef0f8; border: 2px solid #6b7ab5; border-radius: 6px; padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem;\" role=\"note\">\n<p style=\"font-size: 1rem; font-weight: bold; color: #2e3666; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0;\">Adjustments to your aid will be made based on your enrollment changes. To maximize your aid eligibility and to receive your full loan eligibility, you will want to enroll in at least 9 credit hours each semester.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>If you have additional questions regarding your financial aid eligibility, please contact Student Financial Services.<\/h2>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 1rem;\"><a class=\"button small\" href=\"mailto:financialaid@maryville.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Email us<\/a><br \/>\n<a class=\"button small\" href=\"tel:314-529-9360\">Call 314-529-9360<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section style=\"background-color: #f0efed; padding: 2.5rem 2rem; max-width: 1070px; margin: 0 auto;\" aria-labelledby=\"loan-limits-heading\">\n<h2>Changes to Federal Student Loan Limits<\/h2>\n<h3>How Much Can You Borrow Annually (Each Year)?<\/h3>\n<p>The annual unsubsidized loan limits for graduate and professional students remain the same at $20,500.<\/p>\n<h3>What Changes Have Been Made to the Aggregate Limit?<\/h3>\n<p>The aggregate limit was changed to $100,000 (not including undergraduate loans). from $138,500 which included undergraduate loans.<\/p>\n<h3>What is the Lifetime Borrowing Limit?<\/h3>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 2rem; margin: 0 0 2rem;\">\n<div style=\"flex: 1; min-width: 260px;\">\n<h4>New Students (Starting 2026\u20132027)<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>If you are a new student starting in the 2026-2027 academic year or later, your total federal loan limit across all programs is $257,500.<\/li>\n<li>This limit applies to the total amount you have outstanding \u2013 meaning the balance you still owe, not the total you have ever borrowed. It covers Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Grad Plus Loans.<\/li>\n<li>Parent PLUS Loans do not count toward this limit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 1; min-width: 260px;\">\n<h4>Current and Continuing Students<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>If you are already enrolled or have previously taken out federal loans, the rules have not changed for you. Your total limit remains $138,500, not including any Parent PLUS Loans borrowed on your behalf.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Graduate PLUS Loans<\/h3>\n<div style=\"display: flex; gap: 1.5rem; flex-wrap: wrap;\">\n<div style=\"flex: 1; min-width: 260px;\">\n<h4>Enrolled in a program before July 1, 2026<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Students can continue to borrow under the Graduate PLUS program (for up to three academic years or the remainder of their program length, whichever is less) if they remain continuously enrolled in the same program of study at the same institution as they were enrolled as of June 30, 2026 and for whom a Direct Loan was made for that program of study prior to July 1, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 1; min-width: 260px;\">\n<h4>Begin a graduate program after July 1, 2026<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Students will not be eligible for Graduate PLUS Loans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; align-items: flex-start; gap: 1rem; background-color: #eef0f8; border: 2px solid #6b7ab5; border-radius: 6px; padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem;\" role=\"note\">\n<div>\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #2e3666; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0;\">Not sure if you meet the requirements for the legacy provisions?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: #2e3666; margin: 0.25rem 0 0 0;\"><a href=\"mailto: financialaid@maryville.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reach out to the student financial services team<\/a> and they will be able to identify which students qualify based on information stored within federal databases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"grid-container\" style=\"max-width: 1070px; width: 100%;\">\n<div class=\"grid-x margin-x\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<div class=\"large-12 cell\">\n<h2>Additional Ways to Fund Your Education<\/h2>\n<p>Federal student loans aren&#8217;t the only option. If you need additional funding, these resources can help.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-x\" style=\"text-align: left; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;\">\n<div style=\"width: 33.333%; padding: 0 15px;\">\n<h3>Private Educational Loans<\/h3>\n<p>Private loans from banks or lenders can help cover costs not met by federal aid. Interest rates and terms vary, so compare options carefully before borrowing. We suggest using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elmselect.com\/v4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elm Select<\/a> to search and compare private loans as well as reviewing our comparison charts that are specific to our students.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/student-financial-services\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2026\/06\/Graduate-Student-Loan-Comparison.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Graduate Student Loan Comparison Chart<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/student-financial-services\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2026\/06\/Graduate-Health-Professions-Loan-Comparison.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Graduate Health Professions Loan Comparison Chart<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 33.333%; padding: 0 15px;\">\n<h3>External Scholarships<\/h3>\n<p>There are many scholarship opportunities outside of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½&#8217;s institutional aid. Use these trusted scholarship search sites to explore your options.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/myscholarshipcentral.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scholarship Central<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.collegeboard.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">College Scholarship Service<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastweb.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FastWeb<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfstl.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scholarship Foundation of Saint Louis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 33.333%; padding: 0 15px;\">\n<h3>Payment Plans<\/h3>\n<p>Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ offers payment plans that allow you to spread tuition costs across the semester.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/epay.maryville.edu\/C21017_tsa\/web\/login.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Log in to your student account<\/a> to explore available plans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<p>Our office is here to support and educate on how to navigate and fund their educational journey. We are committed to providing support to Saints and their families throughout this transition. If you don&#8217;t see your question here, our admissions and financial aid teams are always happy to help guide you through your specific situation, <a href=\"mailto: financialaid@maryville.edu\">please don&#8217;t hesitate to reach out<\/a>. We are happy to help!<\/p>\n<ul class=\"accordion\" data-accordion=\"\" data-allow-all-closed=\"true\">\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>Will the new law immediately affect my existing loans or aid?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<p>No. If you&#8217;re currently receiving aid or are in repayment, your loans remain under their present terms for now. Most changes\u2014including new loan limits and repayment options\u2014will apply starting in the 2026\u201327 academic year. We are monitoring federal guidance and will update you as details are finalized.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>I&#8217;m already enrolled in a program; will these changes affect me mid-program?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<ul>\n<li>If you&#8217;re currently enrolled and utilizing in the student loan programs at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, there are no changes to the aid you&#8217;ve already received.<\/li>\n<li>If you borrowed a student loan for a term that begins before July 1, 2026, you may be eligible to borrow under the previous loan limits. If you are a graduate student, you may borrow additional Grad PLUS Loans under the previous loan limits to finish your current program of study or for three years, whichever is shorter.<\/li>\n<li>To be eligible for the previous loan limits (including Grad PLUS), you must be continuously enrolled in your current program of study. If you withdraw or go on academic pause, you will be considered a new borrower subject to the new loan limits. You will also be considered a new borrower if you temporarily stop attending your current program of study to enroll in and\/or complete another program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>What if I plan to borrow federal loans for a future academic year and will not be enrolled full-time?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">The new law requires annual loan amounts to be prorated in direct proportion to your enrollment status. This change is effective with all graduate level federal loans borrowed for the 2026-27 academic year and beyond. Your eligibility will be determined at the time of disbursement based on the number of credit hours a full-time student is expected to take for the academic year.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>What happens if I&#8217;ve already reached my aggregate Federal Direct Loan limits under the old rules?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<p>If you have borrowed up to the aggregate federal loan limits under current rules, you may not be eligible for additional Federal Direct Loans unless the new law raises the limits for your situation. You can review the old and new loan limits on the <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/understand-aid\/types\/loans\/subsidized-unsubsidized#how-much\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official Student Federal Aid website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>Is my program a Professional or Graduate program?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<p>Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ does not currently offer any of the below professional programs. All other post-baccalaureate programs offered here at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2014including PhD programs\u2014are classified as graduate, and as such the annual loan limit is still $20,500.<br \/>\nThe distinction between &#8220;graduate&#8221; and &#8220;professional&#8221; programs is defined in federal regulation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-34\/subtitle-B\/chapter-VI\/part-668\/subpart-A\/section-668.2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">34 CFR \u00a7 668.2<\/a>) and affects how much you can borrow each year. Professional programs are typically those that signify completion of academic requirements for beginning work or practice in a given profession, are generally at the doctoral level, and lead directly to a degree required for licensure in a recognized profession.<br \/>\nThe federal regulations include the following programs in the definition: Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.); Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.); Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.); Law (L.L.B. or J.D.); Medicine (M.D.); Optometry (O.D.); Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.); Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.); Theology (M.Div., or M.H.L.); and Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>Are students who are provisionally or conditionally accepted into a graduate program eligible for the legacy borrowing provisions in OBBBA?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<p>No, students who are enrolled in preparatory coursework do not qualify for the legacy borrowing provisions under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and would be treated as new borrowers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#panel1\"><strong>If I take longer than three years to complete my program will I still qualify for the old rules?<\/strong><\/a>\n<div id=\"panel1\" class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<p>Once a student has reached the maximum time frame for Legacy Provisions, they will be subject to the new annual and aggregate Direct Loan limits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr style=\"border: 2px solid #8e8e8e;\" \/>\n<div class=\"grid-container\" style=\"max-width: 1070px; width: 100%;\">\n<div class=\"grid-x margin-x\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<div class=\"large-12 cell\">\n<h2>Contact Us<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-x\" style=\"text-align: left; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;\">\n<div style=\"width: 33.333%; padding: 0 15px;\">\n<h3>Office Hours<\/h3>\n<p>Office of Student Financial Services Team<br \/>\nEmail: <a href=\"mailto:financialaid@maryville.edu\">financialaid@maryville.edu<\/a><br \/>\nPhone: 314.529.9360<br \/>\nFax: 314.529.9925<br \/>\nOffice Hours: Monday \u2013 Friday:<br \/>\n8am\u20135pm (CST) Drop by or call<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 33.333%; padding: 0 15px;\">\n<h3>Office Location<\/h3>\n<p>Visitor Center &#8211; Lombardi Hall 124<br \/>\nStudent Financial Services Team<br \/>\n650 Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Drive<br \/>\nSt. Louis, MO 63141<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 33.333%; padding: 0 15px;\">\n<h3>24\/7 Support<\/h3>\n<p>Ask Max, our chatbot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharing-default-minimal post-bottom\"><div class=\"nectar-social default\" data-position=\"\" data-rm-love=\"0\" data-color-override=\"override\"><div class=\"nectar-social-inner\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"nectar-love\" id=\"nectar-love-859\" title=\"Love this\"> <i class=\"icon-salient-heart-2\"><\/i><span class=\"love-text\">Love<\/span><span class=\"total_loves\"><span class=\"nectar-love-count\">0<\/span><\/span><\/a><a class='facebook-share nectar-sharing' href="#" title='Share this'> <i class='fa fa-facebook'><\/i> <span class='social-text'>Share<\/span> <\/a><a class='twitter-share nectar-sharing' href="#" title='Share this'> <i class='fa icon-salient-x-twitter'><\/i> <span class='social-text'>Share<\/span> <\/a><a class='linkedin-share nectar-sharing' href="#" title='Share this'> <i class='fa fa-linkedin'><\/i> <span class='social-text'>Share<\/span> <\/a><a class='pinterest-share nectar-sharing' href="#" title='Pin this'> <i class='fa fa-pinterest'><\/i> <span class='social-text'>Pin<\/span> <\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The bulk of One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) modifications to all graduate and doctoral students include defining professional verses graduate programs, federal student loan proration implementation, loan lending limit changes, discontinuation of Graduate PLUS loans, and legacy provisions for previous Graduate PLUS loan borrowers. Last updated: June 5, 2026 &nbsp; Professional vs. Graduate Level<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/student-financial-services\/obbba-changes-for-graduate-doctoral-students\/\">&#8230; read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1543,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-859","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.1 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Federal Financial Aid Changes for Graduate and Doctoral Students - Student Financial Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/student-financial-services\/obbba-changes-for-graduate-doctoral-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Federal Financial Aid Changes for Graduate and Doctoral Students\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The bulk of One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) modifications to all graduate and doctoral students include defining professional verses graduate programs, federal student loan proration implementation, loan lending limit changes, discontinuation of Graduate PLUS loans, and legacy provisions for previous Graduate PLUS loan borrowers. 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