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MAKING SCHOOL ACCESSIBLE
A new federal law significantly changes how graduate students finance their education beginning July 1, 2026—and the stakes are high for Master of Social Work (MSW) students.
What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Means for Graduate PLUS Loans
Signed into law on July 4, 2025, as Public Law 119-21, H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act – OBBBA) ends the Graduate PLUS loan program for new borrowers starting July 1, 2026, and introduces borrowing limits for unsubsidized graduate loans. Master’s students will be capped at $20,500 per year with a $100,000 lifetime limit, while professional students will be capped at $50,000 per year with a $200,000 lifetime limit.
Currently, Master of Social Work (MSW) students sit alongside many other vital professions—such as nursing and occupational therapy—not included in the “professional student” category. For a student completing a two-year MSW while balancing required fieldwork hours, these new caps could make it more difficult to finance the full cost of attendance.
National organizations are actively advocating for change. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) have called for expanding the “professional student” category to include MSW programs. Both organizations have engaged lawmakers and the Department of Education (ED) to present workforce data supporting social work’s designation as a professional degree.
“Since the passage of OBBBA, CSWE has remained committed to advocating on behalf of our membership by actively engaging with ED to share data, program information, and workforce evidence supporting the inclusion of social work as a professional degree,” the CSWE website reads.
National Advocacy to Recognize the MSW as a Professional Degree
On Thursday, February 19, Graduate School of Social Service Dean Debra M. McPhee, PhD, joined Representatives Ritchie Torres and George Latimer in a roundtable discussion at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus to discuss advocacy strategies for graduate programs negatively impacted by the federal legislation.
Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) is a Democratic U.S. Representative from the Bronx, focusing on financial services, housing, and healthcare legislation, including recent bills to protect student loans for professionals. In December 2025, Rep. Torres introduced the Professional Degree Access Restoration Act (2025) to reverse federal student loan reductions for graduate and professional students.
The bill would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to restore the full loan limits that were narrowed under H.R. 1, ensuring students pursuing advanced degrees—including social work—can access the financial support they need.
“Graduate and professional students deserve a fair chance to pursue their careers without being priced out by sudden reductions in federal aid,” Rep. Torres said in a press release. “Investing in advanced education strengthens our workforce, our economy, and the future of fields that communities rely on. This bill would restore a critical tool for students striving to serve in high-demand professions.”
The roundtable brought together leaders from higher education, healthcare, and professional associations across New York, including:
Fordham University
Mercy University
Hunter College
Columbia University (including Dental Medicine and Public Health)
National Association of Social Workers-NY
Pace University
CSA-NY
Oncology Nursing Society
NY State Occupational Therapy Association
Touro University and New York Medical College
American Institute of Architects NY
Bronx Community Board 11
How Fordham’s Summer Jumpstart Helps Students Secure Graduate PLUS Funding
While national advocacy efforts continue, prospective students must make enrollment decisions now. Fordham GSS has proactively taken action to help prospective MSW students enroll in coursework before the July 1, 2026, deadline.
Through our Summer Jumpstart Option, MSW students accepted into our fall 2026 cohort could choose to start classes this summer. This allows eligible students to access Graduate PLUS funding before the July 1, 2026, sunset date for new borrowers.
Under the legislation, students who borrow before the July 1 cutoff are “grandparented in” and remain eligible for Graduate PLUS loans for the remainder of their degree.
Dean McPhee was interviewed by Inside Higher Ed to comment on the innovative structure, stating, "It has the advantage of getting [students] eligible for Grad PLUS, but it’s also a pilot for us; lots of people talk about doing year-round … graduate programs” because many graduate students are adults who do not opt to go home for the summer, McPhee said. “The timing is good—if we’re ever going to pilot it, pilot it this year."
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