Disclaimer: Impacts to All Students
This page contains information about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will specifically impact financial aid for graduate students and professional students. Please note that OBBBA will also impact the following:
- Less-Than-Full-Time Enrollment and Loan Proration
- Withdrawing or Taking a Leave of Absence
- Rules for Dual-Degree Programs
Visit our main OBBBA: Financial Aid page for updates, enrollment, withdrawing, loan repayment, loan forgiveness, and loan deferment options.
Incoming Graduate and Professional Students
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, all incoming graduate students will be subject to the new federal lending policies under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
| Graduate Student | Professional Student | Certain Health Professionals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Unsubsidized Loan | $20,500 | $50,000 | $20,500 or $50,000 (program-based) |
| Annual Grad PLUS | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| Aggregate Limit | $100,000 | $200,000 | $100,000 or $200,000 (program-based) |
Discontinuation of Graduate PLUS Loans
The Federal Graduate PLUS Loan program has been discontinued for students entering their programs after June 30, 2026. Graduate students should now plan to use Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans or private financing to cover their remaining cost of attendance.
Loan Limits for Graduate Degrees and Certificates (Non-Professional)
| Loan Model | Before OBBBA | After OBBBA |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Direct Loan Limits | $20,500 Unsubsidized |
No Change to Base Limit Required proration for less-than-full-time enrollment |
| Aggregate Direct Loan Limit |
$138,500 Includes undergraduate loans |
$100,000 Excludes undergraduate loans |
| Lifetime Federal Loan Cap | None |
$257,500 Undergraduate and graduate combined; excludes Parent PLUS |
| PLUS Availability | Graduate PLUS: Up to the full cost of Attendance | Graduate PLUS No Longer Available |
UNLV Programs Impacted by OBBBA
- All Master’s Degrees – including Master of Laws (LL.M.)
- Executive Master’s Degrees
- Education Specialist (Ed.S.)
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Doctor of Medical Physics (D.M.P.)
- Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) – except Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
- Doctor of Public Policy (D.P.P.)
- Occupational Therapy Doctorate (O.T.D.)
- Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate
- Graduate Certificates
Annual Limit Adjustment
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, annual limits for Federal Direct Loans will be adjusted based on your enrollment status.
- Full-Time Students: Maintain standard annual loan eligibility.
- Less-Than-Full-Time Students: Your maximum loan amounts will be reduced proportionally based on your credit load.
Important Note: We will update this page with further guidance as soon as the U.S. Department of Education releases final technical specifications.
Current Graduate Students
If you’re a current student, you’ll continue to have the same loan options as long as you borrow any type of Federal Direct Loan for your current degree at UNLV prior to July 1, 2026.
In federal policy, “grandfathering” and “legacy provisions” essentially mean the same thing: If you started your education under the old financial rules, you are permitted to finish under them.
Legacy Provisions: Allow current students to temporarily continue to borrow under the prior federal loan rules and loan limits. Legacy eligibility is determined by federal law and is automatically applied if a student qualifies. It cannot be waived or declined.
Legacy status does not last forever. The OBBBA creates temporary interim exceptions — essentially a transition window — to give current students a fair amount of time to complete their degrees before the new rules apply to everyone.
Loan Availability
Currently, you can borrow up to $20,500 in unsubsidized loan funds each academic year. You can borrow up to the cost of attendance, minus grant or scholarship aid, in Graduate PLUS loans.
You will be considered a legacy student as long as you borrow any Federal Direct Student Loan while at UNLV and in your current program and grade level prior to July 1, 2026.
- A Federal Direct Loan is disbursed on or before June 30, 2026.
- The student must remain in the same program at the same school.
- There is no withdrawal or break in enrollment.
- The student must be within the expected time to complete the program (the shorter of three academic years or the remaining full-time program length).
If you have not borrowed any Federal Direct Student Loans for your degree at UNLV before July 1, 2026, you will be subject to OBBBA’s new loan limits.
- You will be able to borrow up to $20,500 in unsubsidized loans per academic year.
- You will not be able to borrow Graduate PLUS loans.
- You will have a limit of $100,000 for all graduate and professional school loans. These limits will apply even if you’ve borrowed loans in the past or repaid your loans.
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, annual limits for Federal Direct Loans will be adjusted based on your enrollment status.
- Full-Time Students: Maintain standard annual loan eligibility.
- Less-Than-Full-Time Students: Your maximum loan amounts will be reduced proportionally based on your credit load.
Important Note: We will update this page with further guidance as soon as the U.S. Department of Education releases final technical specifications.
Incoming Professional Students
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, all incoming professional students will be subject to the new federal lending policies under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
Loan Availability
- Graduate PLUS loans are no longer available to new borrowers.
- The new annual loan limit for professional students is $50,000, with a program limit of $200,000, which does not include undergraduate loans.
- The lifetime federal loan limit is $257,500, which does not include undergraduate Parent PLUS loans.
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, annual limits for Federal Direct Loans will be adjusted based on your enrollment status.
- Full-Time Students: Maintain standard annual loan eligibility.
- Less-Than-Full-Time Students: Your maximum loan amounts will be reduced proportionally based on your credit load.
Important Note: We will update this page with further guidance as soon as the U.S. Department of Education releases final technical specifications.
Loan Limits for Professional Degrees
| Loan Model | Before OBBBA | After OBBBA |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Direct Loan Limits |
$20,500 Unsubsidized Plus Health Profession Add-Ons $12,500–$26,667 depending on program and length of academic year) |
$50,000 Unsubsidized Required proration for less-than-full-time enrollment |
| Aggregate Direct Loan Limit |
$224,000 Includes undergraduate loans |
$200,000 Excludes undergraduate loans |
| Lifetime Federal Loan Cap | None |
$257,500 Undergraduate and graduate combined; excludes Parent PLUS |
| PLUS Availability | Graduate PLUS: Up to the full cost of Attendance | Graduate PLUS No Longer Available |
UNLV Professional Programs Impacted by OBBBA
- Medicine, M.D.
- Dental Surgery, D.D.S.
- Dental Medicine, D.M.D.
- Clinical Psychology, Ph.D.
- Law, J.D.
Note: Professional status is determined by federal regulatory criteria and is not based on program title or certification alone.
Current Professional Students
If you’re a current student, you’ll continue to have the same loan options so long as you borrow any type of Federal Direct Loan for your current degree at UNLV, prior to July 1, 2026.
In federal policy, “grandfathering” and “legacy provisions” essentially mean the same thing: If you started your education under the old financial rules, you are permitted to finish under them.
Legacy Provisions: Allow current students to temporarily continue to borrow under the prior federal loan rules and loan limits. Legacy eligibility is determined by federal law and is automatically applied if a student qualifies. It cannot be waived or declined.
Legacy status does not last forever. The OBBBA creates temporary interim exceptions — essentially a transition window — to give current students a fair amount of time to complete their degrees before the new rules apply to everyone.
Currently, you can borrow between $20,500 and $47,167 in Federal Direct Loans each academic year, based on your program. You can borrow up to the cost of attendance, minus grant or scholarship aid, in Graduate PLUS loans. This will remain true as long as you borrow any Federal Direct Student Loan while at UNLV prior to July 1, 2026. You will be subject to OBBBA’s legacy provision.
- A Federal Direct Loan is disbursed on or before June 30, 2026.
- The student must remain in the same program at the same school.
- There is no withdrawal or break in enrollment.
- The student must be within their expected time to complete the program (the shorter of three academic years or the remaining full-time program length).
If you have not borrowed any Federal Direct Student Loans for your degree at UNLV before July 1, 2026, you will be subject to OBBBA’s new loan limits.
- You will be able to borrow up to $50,000 in unsubsidized loans per academic year.
- You will not be able to borrow Graduate PLUS loans.
- You will have a limit of $200,000 for all graduate and professional school loans.
- These limits will apply even if you’ve borrowed loans in the past and/or repaid your loans.
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, annual limits for Federal Direct Loans will be adjusted based on your enrollment status.
- Full-Time Students: Maintain standard annual loan eligibility.
- Less-Than-Full-Time Students: Your maximum loan amounts will be reduced proportionally based on your credit load.
Important Note: We will update this page with further guidance as soon as the U.S. Department of Education releases final technical specifications.
Questions?
Visit the Department of Education’s Loan Limits FAQs (last updated May 20, 2026) or contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships via the Rebel Success Hub.