ED Changes Grad PLUS Rule: Credit Hours Now Decide Who Keeps Uncapped Student Loans

The U.S. Department of Education has altered its method for determining which continuing graduate students can retain access to uncapped Grad PLUS loans. The new rule, communicated during an August 12 Federal Student Aid webinar, requires schools to calculate 'expected time to credential' based on credit hours completed rather than time enrolled, potentially leading to denials for some students who were previously grandfathered under the old system.