New for July 2026 federal loan limits - Check your education funding gap
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New for July 2026

Know your funding gap
before tuition is due.

Federal loan limits changed on July 1, 2026. Grad PLUS is gone for new borrowers and new caps apply. See exactly how much federal aid is available this year - and what's left to cover.

No account · No credit pull · About 2 minutes
Private by default Reflects 7/1/2026 rules Plain-English math

Sample gap this year

$9,500

Graduate student · 2 years remaining

Cost of attendance$42,000
− Scholarships$6,000
− Savings / 529$4,000
− School aid$2,000
− Federal aid available$20,500
= Gap$9,500

Sample only - yours updates in real time as you answer.

Why this exists

The rules changed. The gap didn't disappear.

Federal officials rebuilt the borrowing framework to cap graduate and professional borrowing and end Grad PLUS for new borrowers. Great in theory - confusing in the aid office. This tool turns the new rules into one number you can plan around.

The gap formula

gap = cost of attendance
    − scholarships & grants
    − savings / 529 / employer aid
    − school-based aid
    − federal aid available this year

We apply the 2026 annual and aggregate limits for your role, subtract what you've already borrowed, and show what remains.

Timeline

How we got to July 1, 2026.

  1. 1

    Early 2025

    New federal-limit framework proposed

    Federal officials propose clearer ceilings on graduate, professional, and parent borrowing.

  2. 2

    Late 2025

    Rulemaking advances

    Negotiated rulemaking works out professional-degree definitions and aggregate caps.

  3. 3

    June 24–29, 2026

    Interim professional-degree list

    Federal Student Aid publishes an interim list while litigation continues.

  4. 4

    July 1, 2026

    New limits take effect

    New caps apply to loans first disbursed on or after this date. Grad PLUS is unavailable to new borrowers.

Your funding gap

Two minutes to a real number.

One question at a time. Skip anything you don't know yet.

How it works

Four calm steps from confusion to a plan.

1. Answer a few questions

Two minutes: your role, program, cost, aid, and prior federal borrowing. No account, no credit pull.

2. See your funding gap

We estimate what federal aid is available this year and what remains between cost and resources.

3. Understand your options

See how the new 2026 rules apply to you, and where school aid or savings might close the gap.

4. Get a next-step checklist

What to ask financial aid, what to confirm on StudentAid.gov, and how to sequence a decision.

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