Federal Financial Aid Changes and USAHS Student Financial Aid Update

If you start before July 1, 2026, and receive a loan disbursement before that date, then you are eligible to apply for Grad PLUS Loans. This includes students starting in Summer 2026.

Grad PLUS Loans will no longer be available for graduate and professional students starting or scheduled to start a new program on or after July 1, 2026. Students who begin their program after July 1, 2026, or started their program before July 1, 2026, but have not met the requirements to disburse a federal loan before July 1, 2026, will not be eligible for Grad PLUS Loans. Students starting a program on or after July 1, 2026, or later may still be eligible for Unsubsidized Direct Loans under new loan limits.

New students starting a graduate program July 1, 2026, or later may borrow:

• Up to $20,500 per award year in Unsubsidized Direct Loans
• Up to $100,000 Unsubsidized Direct total aggregate lifetime cap across all graduate borrowing
• Up to $257,500 total lifetime maximum aggregate borrowing limit for Federal Student Loans, excluding Federal PLUS loans.

Students who need additional funds can use an array of non-federal funding sources including private loans, state loans/grants, scholarships or payment plans.

As noted above, federal loan limits may be higher for certain programs designated “professional degree”, depending on further guidance expected from USDE prior to July 1, 2026. We will provide updates to this information as it becomes available.

Students who start their program, apply to use Grad PLUS, get approved and have their Grad PLUS funds disbursed by June 30, 2026, remain eligible for grandfathering.

If you receive a qualified federal loan disbursement before July 1, 2026, you may continue using Grad PLUS for whichever comes first:

• up to 3 academic aid award years, or

• The student’s remaining time to complete the program, calculated by subtracting the amount of time the student has completed as of June 30, 2026, from the published program length.

This assumes you remain continuously enrolled and do not change your program. For example, changing from a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree program to a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program would be disqualifying.

No. These changes do not affect:

• Program quality
• Accreditation
• Faculty or curriculum

We do not expect delays in originations and disbursements. Financial aid will continue to process normally.

No. VA benefits are not impacted by these federal loan changes.

You can combine:

• Private loans (Sallie Mae, College Ave and others)

You can combine multiple sources of funds^* including:

• Private loans (Sallie Mae, Edly, College Ave and others)
• State loans/grants
• Scholarships (USAHS and external)
• Payment plans
• Employer, Veterans Affairs Benefits or military tuition assistance

*If eligible

Private loans are financing offered by banks, credit unions and other lenders. These loans are paid back with interest. The rate of interest and fees may depend on student creditworthiness and sometimes require a co-borrower.

Creditworthiness is based on your credit history. Lenders will look at your credit score, payment history and other financial behavior to determine whether to approve a loan and what interest rate to offer.

If you are not initially deemed credit-worthy, there are still options available. One of the most common solutions is applying with a co-borrower who has strong credit.

A co-borrower, sometimes referred to as a co-signer, agrees to share responsibility for repaying the loan, providing additional assurance to the lender. This is often a parent, guardian, or trusted relative with established credit who supports your educational goals.

• New students initiating their program on or after July 1, 2026, will continue to have access to Direct Unsubsidized loans, but will not have access to the Grad PLUS Loan.

• Current students who began before July 1, 2026 and have their first loan disbursement before that date, may keep Grad PLUS Loan access under the current rules through the expected time to credential

Tuition is not impacted by federal loan classifications.

All students should contact their financial aid advisor by either calling 904-423-2010, emailing [email protected] or scheduling an appointment on the USAHS financial aid page: https://www.usa.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/.

Students who enroll in programs that are classified as “professional degree” programs on or after July 1, 2026, may qualify for higher loan limits. Graduate degree programs are not currently included in the proposed regulatory definition of “professional degree” program for federal loan purposes.  We will continue to monitor this process and provide updates as new information becomes available.

You can feel confident that physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, nursing and EdD remain valued and recognized professional degrees. The OBBBA “professional degree” loan classification only determines maximum graduate Direct Unsubsidized loan limits – it does not impact licensure, accreditation, or your career prospects.

No. Your eligibility for advanced practice roles, specialty certifications and professional licensure will remain the same.

The proposed federal changes relate to only Direct Unsubsidized loan limits, not the academic, clinical or licensure requirements established by your profession. Whether you are pursuing nursing, physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech-language pathology (SLP), or Doctor of Education (EdD), your education, clinical training and professional qualifications are unchanged. These new lending rules do not alter the University’s accreditation or state licensure status.