How Federal Policy Changes Affect Higher Education:

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Loans, Research, and Immigration at DU

This page will be updated 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. 

Last Updated: 1/27/2026

Undergraduate Loans

Effective July 1, 2026, loan amounts for new Parent PLUS Loan borrowers will be capped at  $20,000 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $65,000 per dependent student.

Individual student loan borrowing options for undergraduate degree seeking students remain unchanged under the new law.

The loan limit legacy provision allow parents who have borrowed a Parent PLUS Loan prior to July 1, 2026, on behalf of a dependent student enrolled in a credentialed program at DU may continue to borrow under current loan program rules for up to three more academic years or the remainder of that program’s published program length at DU, whichever is shorter.

Please note the legacy provision only applies so long as the dependent student continues in their current program of study at DU. Undergraduate students who change majors within the same degree or certificate will be considered enrolled in the same program of study.

Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year each student’s enrollment will be evaluated each term and if necessary, their cost of attendance and federal loan eligibility will be adjusted to be commensurate with actual enrollment.

Undergraduate students and families should contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@du.edu or 303-871-4020 to discuss how these changes may affect their borrowing. 

  • How does changing majors affect Parent PLUS Loan eligibility?

    Provided the student remains continuously enrolled in the same type of degree program (i.e., bachelor's degree), changing majors will not affect the legacy provision, which will continue to apply for the remainder of the student's expected time to credential or three academic years, whichever is shorter.

    Example 1: A current DU student changes from an English major (which is a Bachelor of Arts, or BA, degree) to an engineering major (which is a Bachelor of Science, or BS, degree). Because the student stays within the bachelor's degree type (BA to BS), they can change majors and are considered still enrolled in the same program of study for purposes of qualifying for the parent PLUS legacy loan provision.

    Example 2: A current student initially enrolled in bachelor’s program as exploratory and want to declare a major in History. As long as the student remains in a bachelor’s degree program at DU, they will be considered enrolled in the same program of study, and the parent PLUS legacy loan provision applies.

    Example 3: A current DU student enrolled in a bachelor’s program decides to transfer to a new school to complete their bachelor’s degree for the 2026-2027 academic year.  While the student plans to continue in the same program of study, because they will no longer be enrolled at the same school, the parent PLUS legacy loan provision no longer applies. The parent would be considered a new borrower and subject to the new borrowing limits.

  • Are the new Parent PLUS Loan limits applied per student or per family?

    Parent PLUS loan limits ($20,000 per year, $65,000 aggregate amount) are per dependent student, not per family.

  • What is the legacy provision for the Parent PLUS Loan program?

    If the student or parent borrower has a Federal Direct Loan (subsidized/unsubsidized/Parent PLUS) made before July 1, 2026, while the dependent student is enrolled in a program of study, the parent can continue to borrow under current loan limits for 3 academic years or the remainder of their dependent student’s expected time to credential, whichever is less.

    In other words, the legacy provision is applies to undergraduate students or parent borrowers who have a Direct Loan, of any type, disbursed and applied to the DU student’s tuition account before July 1, 2026. Provided that the student remains enrolled at DU in an undergraduate, degree-seeking program, parents may continue borrowing under the current loan limits for up to three additional academic years, or for the remainder of the student’s published program length—whichever is shorter.

  • If my student withdraws, do I lose the Parent PLUS legacy loan provision?

    Yes. Parent borrowers of students who withdraw or take a DU approved leave of absence during a required term will be considered a new borrower and subject to the new loan amounts upon that students return.  The Parent PLUS loan legacy provision requires the student to maintain enrollment in each of the required terms associated with their academic program (fall, winter, and spring). Summer term is treated as an optional term for undergraduate programs.

  • I am an undergraduate borrower and will become a graduate student after July 1, 2026. Can I borrow a Graduate PLUS Loan?

    No, graduate-level loans, including Graduate PLUS, must be borrowed and disbursed prior to July 1, 2026 to be eligible for the legacy provision which allows the student to continue  to borrow from the program for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is less. 

Graduate Student & Professional Student Loans

Effective July 1, 2026, new graduate student loan borrowing amounts will be capped at $20,500 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $100,000 (not including undergraduate loan debt). New borrowers enrolled in a professional program may borrow up to $50,000 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $200,000 (not including undergraduate loan debt).

The legacy loan provision allows graduate students who borrow a Federal Direct Loan or Graduate PLUS Loan prior to July 1, 2026, for a graduate or professional degree program to continue borrowing for that same program for up to three more academic years or the remainder of that program’s published program length at DU, whichever is shorter.

Please note the legacy loan provision applies so long as the student continues enrollment in the same degree program.

Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year each student’s enrollment will be evaluated each term and if necessary, their cost of attendance and federal loan eligibility will be adjusted to be commensurate with actual enrollment.

Graduate and professional students should contact the Financial Aid Office directly for program-specific guidance at gradfinaid@du.edu or 303-871-4020. 

  • What does “program of study” mean?

    “Program of study” refers to an eligible degree program that leads to a degree, such as an MA in International Studies.

  • What programs have been identified as professional degrees programs?

    Profession degree programs include the following:

    • Clinical Counseling, and Applied Psychology
    • Chiropractic
    • Dentistry
    • Law
    • Medicine
    • Optometry
    • Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
    • Theological and Ministerial Studies
    • Veterinary Medicine

    New borrowers enrolled in one of the following Professional degree programs can borrow up to $50,000 per year and a total maximum aggregate of $200,000 (not including undergraduate loan debt). Borrowers who qualify for the legacy loan provision are not subject to the new loan limits.

  • What is the legacy provision for the Graduate PLUS Loan program?

    If a borrower has received a Federal Direct Loan prior to July 1, 2026, while enrolled in their program of study, the borrower can continue to borrow Graduate PLUS Loans for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is less.

    In other words, the legacy provision applies to graduate students who borrow a Direct Loan of any type and have it disbursed to their DU tuition account before July 1, 2026. As long as the student remains enrolled in the same program of study at DU, they may continue borrowing for up to three additional academic years, or for the remainder of the program’s published length—whichever is shorter.

  • If I withdraw, do I lose the legacy loan provision?

    Yes. Borrowers who withdraw or take a DU approved leave of absence will be considered a new borrower and subject to the new loan amounts upon their return.  The legacy provision requires the borrower to maintain enrollment in each of the required terms associated with their academic program—if summer is a required term for the program, the student must be enrolled in the summer term to preserve the legacy loan provision.

Additional FAQ's

Research Impacts

Since January 2025, the federal administration has terminated 21 research grants at DU. Six of the grants are now reinstated. Several Fulbright and NEA Fellowships have been revoked through federal actions.  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.