A measure in President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” that caps federal student loans could make it harder for medical students to finance their education or force them to abandon their medical school plans, experts say.
Starting next year, the legislation caps the amount of federal loans students can borrow for graduate school at $100,000 over a lifetime — and sets a lifetime loan limit of $200,000 for professional programs, such as medical, dental or law school. Grad PLUS loans will also be eliminated entirely. Those changes go into effect for new borrowers on July 1, 2026.
Some experts say the new loan limits will provide a much-needed check on soaring tuition costs, which have jumped significantly in recent decades, outpacing inflation and other household expenses. Higher costs have made college and graduate school seem out of reach for some while saddling others with crippling student loan debt.
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