Understand how changes to Grad PLUS may impact your program
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Details About Your Grad Program
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Please enter a valid Cost of Attendance
%
Expected yearly percentage increase in cost of attendance. Default is 0%.
Enrollment (New Borrowers Only)
Enter the number of new students starting Year 1 in AY 2026–27. These students will not have access to Grad PLUS loans.
Please enter a valid enrollment count
%
%
Attrition: Percentage of students who leave each year. Default is 0%.
Please enter enrollment for at least one year
Aid Mix (Historical)
Enter the average per-student allocation of funding by source. This should reflect how a typical student in your program funds their education, not the total for all students. The Grad PLUS portion represents the gap that will need to be filled when these loans are eliminated.
Dollar amounts should approximate your COA. Don't know your numbers? Use default assumptions
Grad School Impact Calculator Results
Estimated Funding Gap for Your Program
Based on the information entered, this is the total amount your students may need to cover using non-federal resources (including private loans, institutional aid, employer assistance, etc.) over the projected period. This is just an estimate.
$0
Total Gap (All Years)
$0
Peak Year Gap
$0
Avg. Gap Per Student
0
Total Students Impacted
Annual Funding Breakdown by Academic Year
Federal Unsubsidized
Cash, Family & Other
Funding Gap (Former Grad PLUS)
Academic Year
Students
Cost of Attendance
Federal Unsubsidized
Cash & Other
Funding Gap
$15 Billion in Grad PLUS funding vanishes in 2026.Is your school ready?
With the elimination of Grad PLUS, 1 in 5 master's students will lose access to their primary source of funding, which currently provides schools with an average of $32,000 per student annually1. Yet fewer than 4 in 10 will qualify for private loans, putting institutions at risk of unfilled seats and financial instability.
To meet your 2026–2027 enrollment goals, a new financing strategy must be in place by March 2026 to launch to students by June 1. Now is the time to evaluate revenue targets, finalize enrollment plans, and build the infrastructure your institution—and your students—will depend on.
440,000+
graduate students took out Grad PLUS loans last year1.
35%
of college students are considering canceling their plans to further their education2.
47%
of Grad PLUS borrowers' total loans come from the Grad PLUS loan program3.
Let Ascent be your trusted ally with unmatched experience
We've built this before. We're ready to do it again.Ascent's team brings decades of experience helping institutions close funding gaps.
We're experts in handling:
Loan origination and disbursement
Capital markets and financing structure
Full back-end servicing and compliance
Syndication of admissions, aid, and finance
Most other market leaders address narrow segments of demand—but lack the institutionally aligned, comprehensive financing infrastructure essential for enrollment stability.
Proven results
We've successfully implemented this partnership model across the career training space, showing what's possible when schools and lenders collaborate.
2,200+
universities trust our lending solutions
100+
career training schools partner with us
$1.5 Billion+
disbursed in education loans
A loan is just the start
168,000+
people have used an Ascent loan to pay for school*
82%
of credit-based college loan borrowers increased their credit score4
1.2 million+
minutes of financial wellness education accessed
$355,000+
scholarships awarded by Ascent since 2020
What people are saying about Ascent
This innovative program, the most student-friendly financing of this scale, eliminates the financial risks for learners pursuing new career paths. As the manager for the investment program, Social Finance's role is to ensure that learners build skills to match the needs of today's economy—and realize life-changing wage gains.
Tracy P., CEO and co-founder of Social Finance
My experience has been absolutely phenomenal. Ascent approved me for a loan when other lenders consistently denied me, even with a great credit score. With the help of Ascent, I am well on my way to achieving my childhood dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. I appreciate you immensely, Ascent. Thank you for making my dream possible!
Justin R., Ascent borrower
I have challenged credit, and everybody (I think) in my cohort had some type of issue, whether it be credit or just upfront capital, and none of it would have been possible without your guys' help... I wanted to give you guys some really positive feedback on how you're making it possible for people to accomplish their goals.
David W., SV Academy
This Grad PLUS elimination impact calculator is for informational and educational purposes only. It is designed to help institutions and financial aid professionals estimate potential funding gaps based on recent federal changes and the elimination of Grad PLUS loans. The results generated by this tool based on your inputs are estimates only—it's not financial or legal advice. Federal rules and loan options can change, and private lenders have different terms. Always verify assumptions with your institution's data and consult appropriate advisors before making decisions. We're not responsible for choices made based on this tool. Use at your own risk.
*Over 168,000 borrowers took out an Ascent loan for college or career training tuition or expenses between January 2018 and November 2025.
4Impact to score may vary. For some, scores may not improve. Results will depend on many factors, including on-time payment history, the status of non-Ascent accounts, and other financial history.
Although data displayed by Ascent's Gradschool Impact Calculator has been produced and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, or reliability of any information. Ascent's Gradschool Impact Calculator is provided to you on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis, with all faults and without warranty of any kind, and Ascent hereby expressly disclaims all warranties, express, implied, or statutory, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement.
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