Student loan changes ahead? ADA’s new guide can help 

Navigate a changing borrowing landscape 

The ADA is introducing a new Student Loan Resource Guide to help dental students and their families understand significant changes to federal student aid programs that take effect July 1. 

The online toolkit outlines provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that affect graduate and professional student borrowing, including the termination of the federal Grad PLUS loan program and new annual and lifetime borrowing limits for professional students. Under the law, new federal borrowing for professional students is capped at $50,000 per year, with a $200,000 aggregate limit and a $257,500 lifetime federal borrowing cap. Existing borrowers who received federal loans in their current degree programs before June 30 are temporarily exempt from the new federal borrowing rules until completion of that program.  

The guide includes information about the new repayment assistance plan structure, and resources on alternative financing options, including scholarships, military programs, Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunities and private lending avenues. The new repayment assistance plan will replace several current income-driven repayment plans, including Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, and Pay As You Earn, PAYE, and provides loan forgiveness after 30 years of qualifying payments, while Public Service Loan Forgiveness remains available for eligible borrowers after 10 years of qualifying service. 

The resource guide also links users to supplemental information from the ADA, the Department of Education, and partner organizations to help students and their families evaluate their options and prepare for the changing federal loan landscape. 

Before making any long-term borrowing decisions, students are encouraged to speak with their school's financial aid office to review available resources and make informed financial decisions. For more information on how the ADA is advocating for the affordability of dental education, visit the ADA’s website.