Federal Aid Updates – One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Usually no. Spring/summer enrollment does not affect fall or winter Direct Loan eligibility because those terms are not part of the regular academic year. The only exception is if you are a 2nd-year EMBA student. Your loan eligibility may be reduced if you aren't enrolled full-time.

If you aren’t enrolled full-time when your loan is disbursed, your loan will be reduced based on your enrollment.

If you drop below full-time after your fall loan is disbursed, your loan eligibility may be reduced. However, if your combined fall and winter credits equal full-time for the academic year (24 undergraduate credits, 17 graduate credits, or grad full-time flag in both semesters) you may still qualify for your full annual limit.

No. Continuing students remain subject to the loan limits in effect before July 1, 2026, unless they lose continuing-student status by withdrawing from a semester or not enrolling in a fall or winter semester (or spring/summer for 2nd-year EMBA).

No. The federal government determines which programs qualify as professional. BYU cannot change or override those designations.

Yes, if you:

• Started your program before July 1, 2026,
• Received an unsubsidized loan and/or Graduate PLUS Loan before July 1, 2026,
• Have been continuously enrolled,
• Continue to meet other eligibility requirements, including maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), passing the credit check, and enrolling at least half-time.

No. Since you are beginning a new graduate program after July 1, 2026, you are not eligible for a Graduate PLUS Loan.

Your remaining eligibility is based on your program’s standard (or published) full-time length to completion, not how long it actually takes you to graduate. You may receive Graduate PLUS Loans only for the standard time remaining to complete your degree, provided you continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

Yes. If you qualify for a legacy Graduate PLUS Loan but enroll less than full-time (fewer than 8.5 credits or without a graduate full-time flag), your loan will be calculated based on full-time eligibility and then reduced according to your actual enrollment under the Schedule of Reduction (SOR) rules.

Maybe. Students enrolled less than full-time will have a lower Cost of Attendance (COA) than students who are enrolled full-time. A reduced COA may affect your Parent PLUS Loan.

However, Parent PLUS Loans are not subject to the new SOR rules that require Direct Loans because of less than full-time enrollment.

No. The new annual ($20,000) and lifetime ($65,000) Parent PLUS Loan limits apply per student, not per parent. Together, your parent(s) can borrow up to those limits for you.

The new Parent PLUS Loan limits apply to each student individually. Each of you is eligible for up to $20,000 per year and $65,000 total.

No. The new SOR rules apply to all Federal Direct Loan borrowers, including students with legacy status.

However, Parent PLUS Loans are not reduced if the student is enrolled less than full-time because they're borrowed by the parent.

No. You'll keep your legacy status as long as you remain an undergraduate and don't withdraw or miss a fall or winter semester.

If you fully withdraw from a fall or winter, you'll lose your legacy status and become subject to the new loan rules. However, withdrawing from or not attending spring/summer doesn't affect your legacy status unless you are a 2nd-year EMBA student.

A “year” refers to an academic year (fall and winter semesters), not a calendar year.

No. To qualify for legacy status, you must be enrolled at the same school and in the same degree program as you were before July 1, 2026. For undergraduates, this means remaining in your undergraduate program at the same school. For graduate students, it means continuing in the same graduate degree program (master’s degree, law, or PhD) and field of study.

Examples

• Transfer student: You transfer to BYU after July 1, 2026, from another university, even in the same major. You aren't a legacy borrower.
• Continuing BYU undergraduate: You were enrolled at BYU before July 1, 2026, remain in your undergraduate program, never dropped or withdrew from classes in fall or winter, and borrowed a Direct Loan. You're a legacy borrower.
• New graduate program: You completed a master's program at BYU and begin a PhD program after July 1, 2026. Even if you previously borrowed Direct Loans, you aren't a legacy borrower because you started a new degree program.

Your remaining eligibility is based on your program’s standard (or published) full-time length to completion, not how long it actually takes you to graduate. Undergraduate programs at BYU have a published length of 4 years. Your remaining eligibility equals your program length minus the number of academic years you’ve attended, provided you continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

No. Because you took a break in enrollment before returning, you don't qualify for legacy status. When you return in Fall 2026, you'll be subject to the new $20,000 annual limit and $65,000 lifetime limit.