A new federal law known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” is bringing drastic changes to access to higher education in the United States. One of the most controversial decisions is the elimination of the Federal Grad PLUS loan, which helped students with limited resources pay for master’s and doctoral programs.
Now, with this option gone, thousands of young people face new financial barriers to continuing their studies.
The impact is especially severe in marginalized communities and private universities like Georgetown, where many students rely on scholarships and federal aid to stay enrolled. The new reform enforces stricter limits on the amounts available for loans and grants, making even basic expenses like tuition, housing and transportation difficult hurdles to overcome.
“Many of my classmates are [here] thanks to scholarships, and it saddens me to think they’ll now have to fight even harder to come to Georgetown,” said Georgetown student Allen Bederka.
Financial aid experts warn that this change not only affects current students, but also redefines who can aspire to an advanced education in the country. While the government defends the reform as an effort to reduce student debt, critics argue that in practice it is closing the doors of graduate education to those who need it most.
For many, the dream of professional advancement through higher education now feels more out of reach than ever.
