Changes to federal financial aid eligibility and Direct Loan programs are coming as of July 1, 2026. These changes may impact how you and your family have been funding your college costs up until now. The OU-HS Student Financial Aid office wants to be sure that all students and their families are aware of the forthcoming changes so you can be prepared for Fall 2026 and beyond.

OU-HS is committed to providing guidance and resources to assist you in making a financial plan to cover your educational costs. You can reach us in person weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and online through our booking app.

Undergraduate Student Changes:

• Parent PLUS loan borrowers will be limited to $20,000 a year per student.
• Parent PLUS loan borrowers' lifetime aggregate limit will be $65,000 per student.
• Direct student loan offers will be prorated for students who are enrolled less than full time.
• Students with an SAI that is equal to or greater than twice the amount of the maximum Pell Grant award will no longer be eligible for the Pell Grant during that academic year.
• Students who receive scholarships or grants that exceed their total cost of attendance (COA) will lose their Pell grant eligibility for that academic year.
• The net worth of certain family farms and small businesses will be excluded from the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation
• Foreign income will be included in the adjusted gross income(AGI) when determining Pell grant eligibility.

Graduate/Professional Student Changes:

• The Graduate PLUS loan will no longer be available to new borrowers.
• Direct Unsubsidized borrowing limits remain $20,500 annually with a maximum of $100,000 per non-professional student.
• Direct Unsubsidized borrowing limits will be $50,000 annually with a maximum of $200,000 per professional student.
• Direct student loan offers will be prorated for students who are enrolled less than full time.
• The maximum lifetime aggregate per student borrower will be $257,500.

Borrowers who have received a loan for a program that has already started as of June 30, 2026, will be exempt from the above borrowing caps for up to 3 years as they complete their program.

Available OU Resources:

• MidFirst Bank MoneyCoaches assist students with personalized, effective financial planning and education to ensure healthy lifelong financial behaviors. MoneyCoaches are available to assist all students as they navigate the process of paying for college.
• The Office of Student Financial Aid works to eliminate unnecessary barriers to college access and completion. Our goal is to simplify the financial aid process as much as possible, and to make sure students are always engaged and aware of the next steps that need to be taken. Contact with our office if you have questions about applying for financial aid or your eligibility at financial-aid@ouhsc.edu , 405-271-2118, or visit the financial aid office in 865 Research Park room 240.
• Please contact your college for information about scholarship opportunities. 
• ELMSelect - University of Oklahoma allows undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to research and compare high-quality private education lenders that other OU-HS students have used successfully. Students are welcome to use lenders not included on this list. The ElmSelect lender list is reviewed and subject to change annually. 
• OU-HS Institutional Loans are loan options administered by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences and only available to our students.