The U.S. Department of Education recently proposed changes to federal student loan repayment plans that could affect graduate borrowers nationwide. Driven by the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, the proposal would modify income-driven repayment options and introduce new borrowing limits for graduate and professional programs, changes that may directly affect students pursuing advanced degrees in healthcare fields, such as speech-language pathology (SLP).
Income-driven repayment plans base monthly payments on a percentage of a borrower’s income, with lower-income borrowers paying less and higher-income borrowers paying more.
Changes to these plans could increase monthly payments for graduate borrowers.
Many healthcare careers, including speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy requires graduate-level education. These programs can cost tens of thousands of dollars, leading many students to rely heavily on federal loans to finance their degrees.
Programs such as physician assistant and speech-language pathology often require heavy course loads and full-time clinical rotations, limiting students’ ability to work. As a result, many students in these programs depend almost entirely on federal loans to finance tuition as well as living expenses.
Claire Alasio, associate vice president for enrollment management and director of financial aid at Monmouth University, said the proposed changes would reduce the number of repayment plans available to borrowers.
“The short answer to this is there are fewer repayment plans to choose from,” Alasio said.
“The downside to less choice is, of course, less flexibility,” she added.
Alasio said that in programs such as physician assistant and occupational therapy, more than 80% of graduates rely on federal loans.
Alasio added that some current repayment plans, such as SAVE and Income Contingent Repayment, are expected to sunset in the coming years, meaning borrowers already enrolled may need to transition to new options. Future borrowers will have fewer plans available, including the standard repayment plan and the new Repayment Assistance Plan.
Joseph Patten, PhD, Professor of Political Science said changes tied to recent federal student loan policy shifts could significantly increase monthly payments for some borrowers. “Monthly payments will be going up considerably, in some cases double or triple the amounts borrowers pay now,” Patten explained. He added that graduate students may also face stricter borrowing limits.
Jenna Liloia, a recently hired speech-language pathologist in New Jersey, said changes to repayment terms could affect both monthly payments and long-term career planning.
“This would affect me because I could see changes in my monthly payment amount and how long I repay,” Liloia said.
She added that if the proposed rule had existed when she entered graduate school, she may have borrowed more conservatively and sought additional assistantships.
Daniella Goncalves, a second-year SLP graduate student at Monmouth, said uncertainty surrounding loan repayment creates stress as she prepares to enter the workforce.
“It can feel stressful,” Goncalves said. “I’m excited to start my career as an SLP, but there’s definitely some anxiety about managing loan repayment alongside other financial responsibilities after graduation.”
Dr. Patrick Walden, associate professor of speech-language pathology and chair of the SLP program, explained that he is concerned that changes to federal loan policy could limit access to graduate education.
“I am concerned that students all over the U.S. will have a more difficult time accessing graduate programs, especially in education and healthcare,” Walden said.
Walden added that while no current graduate students have approached him with concerns about the proposed changes, at least one undergraduate student has expressed worry about affording graduate school. He added that without federally backed loans, he would not have been able to complete his own undergraduate and graduate education.
The proposed rule remains under review and has not yet been finalized. If implemented, changes to repayment structures and borrowing limits, according to the Department of Education could take effect as early as July 2026.
