The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, introduces significant changes to the federal Title IV student aid programs. Some of these changes impact Federal Direct Graduate Unsubsidized Loans. These updates will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Notice of Regulatory Implementation: The Office of Student Financial Aid Services is actively monitoring the legislation and its implementation details. This page will be updated regularly as additional guidance becomes available from the U.S. Department of Education.
Loans must be reduced when students are not enrolled full-time. The reduction is based on the enrollment status. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 9 credits/term. For details, see Less Than Full-Time Loan Reductions
Professional Students:
NJIT does not have professional degree programs
Annual Limit: $50,000
Aggregate Limit: $200,000 (combined graduate and professional loans but excludes undergraduate loans)
Total Aggregate Limit: $257,500 for all federal loan programs (undergraduate and graduate)
Additional Financing Options
Students requiring additional financing options should review the following supplemental funding options:
Federal Direct Graduate Loans Frequently Asked Questions
NJIT does not have a “professional” degree program.
Under 34 CFR 685.102(b), the following are considered professional programs:
Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.)
Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)
Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.)
Law (L.L.B. or J.D.)
Medicine (M.D.)
Optometry (O.D.)
Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.)
Theology (M.Div. or M.H.L.)
Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.)
No, the statute and federal regulations set the standards for defining a “professional” program. Unfortunately, there is no appeal process.
Beginning July 1, 2026, Federal Direct Loan amounts will be reduced for students enrolled less than full-time. Fulltime enrollment is generally defined as 9 credits/semester for graduate students. If you take fewer than 18 credits for the academic year, your Federal Direct Loan amounts will be reduced proportionally to the actual credit load.