The End of Grad Plus
The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed in July 2025, sent shock waves across higher education and an already cost-conscious market. One of its most significant changes was the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, which had been a core source of federal aid for graduate and professional students since 2006.
For colleges and universities, the loss of Grad PLUS creates both an access challenge for students and a meaningful disruption to enrollment and revenue models. Institutions that move quickly to adjust pricing and financial aid using strong data will be better positions to maintain access, enrollment, and net tuition revenue. Those that don’t may face greater volatility in an already difficult domestic market.
This playbook is designed to help university leaders navigate the strategic implication of the end of Grad PLUS. The following pages provide practical frameworks for assessing institution exposure and enrollment risk, evaluating pricing and aid strategy options, developing an actionable response plan, and communicating effectively with prospective students.
This paper provides research and insight to help your team:
- Assess your institution’s exposure to the loss of Grad PLUS and identify key enrollment risks
- Evaluate pricing and financial aid strategy options to adapt to the changing landscape
- Develop an actionable, data-informed response plan
- Communicate effectively with prospective students about financing options in a post–Grad PLUS environment
Related Resources
When Grad PLUS disappears: What 8,000+ grad students said about paying for school
