Changes to Grad Plus Coming This Year in 2026
About this episode
This episode discusses the upcoming changes to Grad PLUS loans and their implications for graduate students starting in 2026.
Grad PLUS loans are going away, and the phase-out is going to create one of the strangest stretches in the history of student loan financing. If you're enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program, about to start one, or know someone who is, the new borrowing limits taking effect July 1, 2026, will reshape how you pay for school and how you'll repay later. Learn about the new borrowing caps, the orphaned group of borrowers caught in between, why taking a leave of absence could cost you everything, and what the coming wave of private lending chaos means for your wallet. Key moments: (01:44) Why taking a leave of absence could lock some students out of crucial loans (06:19) When high-cost programs only stay open to the wealthy (07:39) Why private loans won't fill every funding gap (14:23) How shrinking loan money could reshape (or close) schools Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or Amazon Music Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the newsletter Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan…
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