June 25, 2026

Federal Judge Blocks New Student Loan Caps for Physician Assistants

A federal judge has blocked the implementation of new federal student loan caps for physician assistants and other healthcare graduate programs, which were set to take effect on July 1.
The ruling supports a coalition of trade organizations that argued the caps would hinder access to training for low-income students.
The Education Department's proposed caps would have limited borrowing to $20,500 annually, significantly less than the average program cost.
The judge's decision prevents immediate enforcement of the caps, but does not restore the previous uncapped borrowing options.