Financial Aid Updates and Information

1. New Students & Students Exceeding Time Limits

The following regulations apply to you if you have never borrowed federal funds at Wesley for your current program, OR if you have exceeded your degree’s Estimated Time to Completion (ETTC) based on full-time limits: MA (1.5 years), MTS (2 years), MDiv (3 years).

2. Continuing (“Legacy”) Master’s Students

If you have previously borrowed federal student loans at Wesley for your current active program, you fall under legacy conditions:

• Annual Loan Limit: Direct Unsubsidized Loans remain capped at $20,500.
• Aggregate Borrowing Limit:  Unsubsidized and Subsidized Loan limit is $138,500 (including undergraduate loans).
• Full-Time Status: If you remain continuously enrolled in the same program of study at the time that you were enrolled as of June 30th, you can continue to borrow and your Direct Unsubsidized Loan limit remains unchanged and you can borrow up to $20,500 annually. However, if a Direct Loan was not made for your program of study prior to July 1, 2026, your funding limits will now be prorated using your exact enrollment metrics (see Proration formula below)*.
• Less-Than-Full-Time Status: If you remain continuously enrolled in the same program of study at the time that you were enrolled as of June 30th, you can continue to borrow and are not subject to the new loan limits up to three academic years or the remainder of your expected time to credential in your program of study (whichever comes first). However, if a Direct Loan was not made for your program of study prior to July 1, your funding limits will now be prorated using your exact enrollment metrics as follows*:
• *Proration Formula:
  (Your Enrolled Credits ÷ Full-Time Required Credits) × Annual Loan Limit

  Example: If you register for 5 credits out of a 9-credit full-time baseline (55.5% status), your prorated loan limit for the term would be roughly $20,500 × 0.56 = $11,480 (minus any active scholarships/grants).

Continuing “legacy” students may apply for Grad PLUS loans, but this is  capped at three (3) academic years or your program’s published completion timeline, whichever comes first.

3. Regulations for Dual Degree Track Students

Under federal code 34 CFR 685.203, limits shift depending on whether your dual program leans heavily toward a standard graduate or professional designation:

• MDiv / MA Options: Professional Status ($50,000 annual / $200,000 aggregate) applies only if more than 50% of your total dual degree credits count toward your MDiv. Otherwise, standard graduate limits apply.
• Standard Graduate Limits ($20,500 annual / $100,000 aggregate) apply universally to: MTS/MPA, MTS/MPP, MTS/MA (International Development), MTS/MA (Peace & Conflict Resolution), MA/MTS, and MDiv/MTS (unless the MDiv strictly comprises more than 50% of the combined degree curriculum).

Graduate Program Classification (DMin)

Loan Limits:

• Annual Loan Limit: Direct Unsubsidized Loans remain capped at $20,500.
• Aggregate Borrowing Limit: Lifetime borrowing capped at $100,000 (excludes undergraduate debt or paid balances).
• Grad PLUS Loans: No longer available to new students under OB3 rules.

*Doctoral Proration Example:

If your term consists of 3 credits and full-time enrollment requires 6 credits, you would hold a 50% enrollment status. Your calculated maximum limit for the term would be $20,500 × 0.50 = $10,250 (minus any applicable scholarships or alternative institutional grants).