Grad PLUS Exception: Must You Have Had PLUS?
Check the earlier loan.
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Never borrowed Grad PLUS? That fact alone does not rule out the temporary exception to the graduate borrowing rules.
Check the prior loan and program
The Federal Student Aid loan-limit FAQ says the prior loan need not have been Grad PLUS. A Direct Loan for the graduate or professional program may satisfy that condition if it was received before July 1, 2026.
The student must have been enrolled in that program at the institution on June 30, 2026. A canceled loan does not count as received for this purpose. Other conditions apply.
Check the remaining window
The expected time to credential is calculated from July 1, 2026: the shorter of three academic years or program length minus time completed before that date. Changes in enrollment or program can affect eligibility.
Ask your school to confirm the prior disbursement, enrollment and remaining eligibility. The exception is not loan approval; other PLUS requirements still apply. This is general education.
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