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▲ OBBBA 2025 — New Grad PLUS Caps: Effective July 1, 2026 Graduate and professional borrowers face new annual and aggregate caps starting July 1, 2026 (Grad PLUS is eliminated for new borrowers): $20,500/yr ($100k lifetime) for most grad programs; $50,000/yr ($200k lifetime) for professional programs; plus an overall $257,500 federal lifetime aggregate. Most programs cost far more — model your gap here.

#102 · AL · 109 · Student Finance & Debt

Grad Loan Cap Gap Planner

Quantify the funding gap created by OBBBA 2025 federal loan caps for your graduate or professional program — and model private loan and aid scenarios to close it.

⚖ Legal & Policy Notice Federal loan caps per OBBBA 2025 (P.L. 119-21), effective July 1, 2026 for new borrowers. Grad PLUS is eliminated for new borrowers; graduate/professional borrowing is limited to Direct Unsubsidized within these caps, subject to an overall $257,500 federal lifetime aggregate (undergraduate + graduate combined). Existing loans are not affected. Private loan cost estimates use illustrative market rates — contact lenders for actual terms. This tool does not constitute financial or legal advice.
OBBBA 2025 — Federal Loan Caps Reference (New Borrowers on/after July 1, 2026)
Program Type Annual Cap Lifetime Cap Typical Annual COA
Graduate (most programs: MS, MPH, MPA, MEd…)$20,500$100,000$30,000–$70,000
MBA (full-time top programs)$20,500$100,000$80,000–$110,000
Law (JD)$50,000$200,000$60,000–$95,000
Medicine (MD/DO)$50,000$200,000$65,000–$100,000
Dentistry (DMD/DDS)$50,000$200,000$75,000–$110,000
Pharmacy (PharmD)$50,000$200,000$50,000–$80,000
Parent PLUS (parent borrowers)$20,000$65,000—

Caps are for new borrowing on/after July 1, 2026. COA = cost of attendance (tuition + fees + living). Caps listed apply to federal direct loan eligibility only.

Program Details
Tuition + fees + room + board + misc
Undergrad debt counts toward lifetime aggregate cap ($100k grad / $200k professional)
Aid & Funding
Non-repayable aid: fellowships, grants, assistantships (stipend/tuition waiver value)
Section 127 employer tuition assistance (up to $5,250/yr tax-free)
Total amount you can contribute from savings or income over the program
Funding Stack — Total Program Cost
Federal loans
Aid / savings
Funding gap
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Year Cost of Attendance Federal Eligible Aid + Savings Annual Gap Fed Cap Remaining
Next Steps
Gap & Private Loan Inputs
Auto-filled from Tab 1 if you ran it
Used to calculate debt-to-income ratio for private loans
Private Loan Scenarios
Scenario Rate Monthly Payment Total Paid Total Interest DTI (% salary)
Strategy Guidance
Policy Mandate Inbound — Load from AL-96 / AL-17 / AL-26

Paste a Policy Mandate from another Apex Logics tool to pre-fill inputs.