FIU Graduate Students Face New Federal Loan Limits This Fall Due to One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Homestead graduate students attending Florida International University (FIU) are navigating new federal student loan limits this fall semester. Changes to federal aid eliminated new Graduate PLUS loans for many graduate and professional students, impacting their borrowing options.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, also known as Public Law 119-21, brought about these changes. President Donald Trump signed the act into law on July 4, 2025, with its new federal student loan provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Under the updated regulations, graduate students can now borrow up to $20,500 annually and $100,000 in aggregate in Direct Unsubsidized Loans for graduate study. Professional students have higher limits, able to borrow up to $50,000 annually and $200,000 in aggregate for professional study. The law also generally removed eligibility for new federal Direct PLUS loans for graduate and professional students.

An interim exception exists for some students already enrolled and borrowing before the new limits took effect. To qualify, a student must have been enrolled in their program as of June 30, 2026, and received a Direct Loan for that program before July 1, 2026. Qualifying students can continue receiving previous loan limits for up to three academic years or for the remaining time in their program based on its standard full-time length, whichever comes first.

Madeline Baró, senior director of Media Relations at FIU, clarified that the exception does not necessarily last until a student personally completes their degree. She stated, “As a result, some students who remain in good academic standing and are making progress toward graduation may no longer qualify for certain federal loan benefits under the temporary exception.”

FIU recommends that students affected by these changes explore other funding options, including institutional aid and assistantships, to cover their educational costs.