FAFSA and Medical School loan availability (Fall 2026)

[Anonymous]

My DD will be going to medical school in the Fall of 2026. She recently received her acceptance. Her med school told her to fill out the FAFSA.

She's filled out her FAFSA, added the med school she'll be going to, and received a "ruling" that she will get up to $20,500 yearly cap (even though this cap is only for grad students and not medical students). The annual cap for med school students (and other professional schools) is $50k/year with a total cap of $200k. GradPLUs loans are being eliminated beginning 7/1/2026, and everything over $50k will be addressed via private loans. Her tuition is $55k/year with a COA total of $75k/ year. We will be helping her with the overage of $25k/year (gifting).

I realize that the BBB imposed these professional school caps for professional schools beginning after 7/1/2026. I also assume that the $20,500 cap notice she received may be incorrect.

My DD has been working full-time for the past 1.5 years and filed her own taxes this past April. We did not claim her on our taxes.

Questions:

- Should she contact FAFSA and have them correct the professional school "ruling"?
- When should she apply for the Federal loans?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Maybe post in the college forum as well. They may know better.

[Anonymous]

The med school should offer some guidance here. My DS’s med school had something like a Financial Aid Advisor. They should be able to explain how and when documents need to be submitted. Student doctor network.com has lots of info that will help to bring you up to speed on how this all works. My DS had zero loans in undergrad so it was all new to us too. Congrats to your DD.

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/financial-aid.30/

[Anonymous]

"...and filed her own taxes this past April. We did not claim her on our taxes."

You probably know that this is irrelevant for scholarships, loans, aid etc to med school.

[Anonymous]

☝️ why? Please explain?

All her loans on her.

[Anonymous]

^ My DD worked for two years after college and was not claimed as a dependent on our taxes. FAFSA still requires parental income information in order to qualify for aid. Our income was too high for her to qualify for aid, despite us believing that it’s crazy that our income mattered since she was a self-supporting adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ My DD worked for two years after college and was not claimed as a dependent on our taxes. FAFSA still requires parental income information in order to qualify for aid. Our income was too high for her to qualify for aid, despite us believing that it’s crazy that our income mattered since she was a self-supporting adult.

it's not crazy – every single family who could pay would say their 24-year-old cannot possibly attend without scholarships and loans if that was the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ My DD worked for two years after college and was not claimed as a dependent on our taxes. FAFSA still requires parental income information in order to qualify for aid. Our income was too high for her to qualify for aid, despite us believing that it’s crazy that our income mattered since she was a self-supporting adult.

I'll have to have her go back and look at FAFSA again. I did not enter any of our (mine and wife's) info. Our income is too high as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ My DD worked for two years after college and was not claimed as a dependent on our taxes. FAFSA still requires parental income information in order to qualify for aid. Our income was too high for her to qualify for aid, despite us believing that it’s crazy that our income mattered since she was a self-supporting adult.

it's not crazy – every single family who could pay would say their 24-year-old cannot possibly attend without scholarships and loans if that was the case.

This. I worked at a top private law school. All the rich kids want to claim their parents aren’t helping. Doesn’t matter, their income is taken into account.

[Anonymous]

What the PPs have said. Think of med and law the same. Your parents have money? You pay-- Especially after BBB. The school should have an aid advisor but the days of 250k+ student loans for med/law school are gone.

[Anonymous]

it's not crazy – every single family who could pay would say their 24-year-old cannot possibly attend without scholarships and loans if that was the case.


This. I worked at a top private law school. All the rich kids want to claim their parents aren’t helping. Doesn’t matter, their income is taken into account.

Even if it’s true that families who can afford to pay would claim that - why shouldn’t they do that? If you support your kid through college and they are a self-sufficient adult, 25 years old with no financial connection to their parents, why do we assume the parents should pay for medical school (or law school, etc.)? At what point is it ok for parents to bear no financial obligation for their kids, so that financial aid is an option? I think if a kid has been financially independent for years, there should be no attribution of parental ability to pay.

[Anonymous]

This stuff is going to destroy medical aid and legal aid programs. No one can afford to take those lower income but badly needed jobs without PSLF.

[Anonymous]

I went to med school at age 30 , after I had been making 6 figures for a few years. They still wanted my parents financial info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to med school at age 30 , after I had been making 6 figures for a few years. They still wanted my parents financial info.

Yep same and I was married!

[Anonymous]

We paid for kid’s medical school and let me tell you it is expensive. Help them if you are able to.