"Access to the legal profession is access to justice, and today, that access is in jeopardy. Imagine a future where there are fewer lawyers representing people facing eviction during a housing affordability crisis, fewer lawyers rushing to a courtroom to represent immigrant families facing an uncertain legal process, or criminal matters languishing for years with fewer prosectors and public defenders available to handle cases."
"For nearly two decades, the federal Grad PLUS Loan Program offered a straightforward guarantee: any student admitted to a graduate or professional program so long as they had no adverse credit could borrow up to the full cost of attendance (that is tuition, fees, health care, and living expenses, which add up quickly) on the front end, coupled with programs including income-based repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) on the back end."
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) fundamentally restructures graduate student financing and eliminates the Grad PLUS program on July 1, 2026. Law, medical, dental, veterinary, and other professional students will face a $50,000 annual federal unsubsidized loan cap and a $200,000 lifetime limit. Graduate students in other fields, including nursing, will be capped at $20,500 annually. Students needing more funding must turn to private loans that are costlier and lack income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness protections. The caps threaten recruitment into public-service professions and could reduce legal and healthcare access for vulnerable populations unless state action intervenes.
Read at www.amny.com
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