Upcoming Changes to Federal Direct Loan Programs

As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), changes impacting federal loans available to help students cover their educational costs take effect July 1, 2026. We encourage you to start reviewing how these changes may impact how you fund your cost of attendance.

Remember, the WVU Hub is here to help! Changes to aid options can be difficult to navigate, and we’re here to help you understand these changes and what options are available to you. Be sure to stay informed about the new law by monitoring our One Big Beautiful Bill Act Impacts webpage. Our office continues to update our websites as more details are released by the Department of Education as they finalize these regulations.

Legacy Provision for Current Borrowers

The OBBB Act includes a legacy provision for current borrowers of Federal Direct Loans, including parent and graduate PLUS loans, that disbursed before July 1, 2026. If you meet the legacy criteria, you may still be able to continue borrowing Federal Direct Loans with no changes in eligibility. Visit our One Big Beautiful Bill Act Impacts webpage to learn more about the legacy provision for loan eligibility and what this could mean for you.

Changes to Federal Direct Loans

For current borrowers who do not meet legacy criteria and new borrowers:

For undergraduate students, there are no changes to subsidized and unsubsidized loans. However, there are changes coming to the credit-based parent PLUS loan. Learn more about loan changes for parent borrowers.

For graduate and professional students, there are several changes coming to graduate and professional-level unsubsidized loan eligibility and the graduate PLUS loan beginning July 1. Learn more about loan changes for graduate and professional student borrowers.

Do these changes impact your financial plans? Explore other funding options that may be available to you, such as our tuition payment plan or credit-based private loan options.