The United States Congress passed H.R.1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.听 On July 4, 2025, the Act was signed into Public Law No. 119-21 by the President.
This enacted law changes how much students and parents can borrow through Federal Direct Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and Grad PLUS Loans. These changes don鈥檛 take effect immediately but will significantly reduce the amount families can borrow starting July 1, 2026. The law also caused certain federal grants and fellowships to be revoked, impacting research at DU and other universities.
Undergraduate Loans
Individual student loan borrowing options for an undergraduate degree remain unchanged under the new law.
For parent borrowers, the Parent PLUS Loan program remains unchanged until July 1, 2026. Parents who have borrowed a Parent PLUS Loan prior to July 1, 2026, on behalf of a dependent student enrolled in a credentialed program may continue to borrow under current loan program rules for up to three more academic years or the remainder of that program鈥檚 published program length at DU, whichever is shorter.
Please note this exception only applies so long as the dependent student continues in their current program of study.
For parent borrowers, Effective July 1, 2026, new Parent PLUS Loan borrowing by all parents on behalf of each dependent student will be limited to $20,000 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $65,000 per dependent student.
Undergraduate students and families should contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@du.edu or 303-871-4020 to discuss how these changes may affect their borrowing.听
Graduate Student & Professional Student Loans
Graduate students who borrow Federal Direct Loans or Grad PLUS Loans prior to July 1, 2026, for a graduate or professional degree program* will be eligible to continue borrowing for that program for up to three more academic years or the remainder of that program鈥檚 published program length at DU, whichever is shorter.
Please note this exception applies so long as a student continues in that degree program.
Effective July 1, 2026, new graduate student loan borrowers will be limited to $20,500 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $100,000 (not including undergraduate loan debt). The new law will also limit new professional student loan borrowers to $50,000 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $200,000 (not including undergraduate loan debt).
Graduate and professional students should contact the Office of Financial Aid directly for program-specific guidance at gradfinaid@du.edu or 303-871-4020.听
* DU and other universities are waiting on the Federal Government for further guidance on which degree programs will qualify as professional programs. We will update this website after additional information becomes available.
Research Impacts
Since January 2025, the federal administration has terminated 21 research grants at DU.听Six of the grants are now reinstated.听Several Fulbright and NEA Fellowships have been revoked through federal actions.听 The outcome of all these actions is a total loss of funding to DU in the amount of $4.2 million.
Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Requests
Should ICE agents appear on campus, DU staff, faculty, and students have been directed to immediately call the Office of General Counsel at 303-871-4646. DU legal counsel will review any warrant, subpoena, or document before action is taken. Guidance is available in the updated Joint Guidance on Responding to Law Enforcement Requests for Student or Employee Information.
Yes. DU will update this page as new guidance is released by the federal government. We are committed to keeping students, families, faculty, and staff informed. Updates will be coordinated with the Office of Financial Aid and other campus partners.听
鈥淧rogram of study鈥 is the wording used in the federal law and is a common term in financial aid. Previously, it has included a student鈥檚 declared degree program (such as a BA in Political Science or an MA in International Studies). However, we expect this will be clarified when they issue regulatory guidance, which may not happen until early 2026.听
Not yet. The federal government has not yet issued specific guidance on how to determine if a degree program qualifies as a "professional" degree program. We may not receive this clarification until early 2026, but DU is actively advocating for clear and timely guidance on this important question.
It could. We expect this will be clarified when the Department of Education issues regulatory guidance, which may not happen until early 2026. Families should contact the Office of Financial Aid to review their specific situation before a student changes programs.听
We don't know that answer yet. Our expectation is that a student would have to borrow a graduate-level loan prior to July 1, 2026, to be eligible for the legacy provision that allows them to borrow PLUS loans for the graduate portion of their degree, if it happens to begin after July 1, 2026.听
We recommend that you contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss your specific circumstance. The law does not include exceptions to the time periods to borrow under current borrowing limits. As a result, any withdrawal or time away from your program may impact your borrowing options.
The DU bridge funding initiative provides a limited bridge to support faculty affected by federal grant terminations. The program will provide 10% of the remaining award amount (up to $27K) to sustain research activity deemed previously meritorious and nationally competitive, offering some continuity as we navigate these disruptions. The money is deposited into an account for the Principal of record after DU has been reimbursed by the Federal government for any outstanding expenses incurred before the termination date.听
DU is in constant contact with faculty and students regarding these types of independent awards from the Federal Government. While DU cannot file the appeal on behalf of these fellowship recipients, DU can provide information to help guide individuals seeking to appeal. Reach out to ORSPadmin@du.edu.
No. To date, DU has not been subject to any large-scale ICE inquiries. If ICE agents appear on campus, the Office of General Counsel must be contacted immediately at 303-871-4646 to review any warrant, subpoena, or document before action is taken.听
Guidance is available in the updated Joint Guidance on Responding to Law Enforcement Requests for Student or Employee Information [insert link here once confirmed].听
