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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Current Students and Alumni,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Please take the time to read this email and tell your story to help ACA advocate for educational loans for counseling students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.counseling.org%2Fadvocacy%2Fupdates%2Farticle%2F2025%2F11%2F21%2Ffederal-student-loan-caps-threaten-access-to-counseling-programs%3Futm_source%3Dinformz%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3DNewsletter_GAPP_Jan2026%26_zs%3Dji1DA1%26_zl%3DBuhx7&data=05%7C02%7Ccounselor_educ%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Caa14db2284794395580508de5de06069%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C639051415418368218%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=dAfuRi6%2BjsysjoCkjTrPOc4p40eJvzY%2FJqpUtgFqE2Y%3D&reserved=0" originalsrc="https://www.counseling.org/advocacy/updates/article/2025/11/21/federal-student-loan-caps-threaten-access-to-counseling-programs?utm_source=informz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter_GAPP_Jan2026&_zs=ji1DA1&_zl=Buhx7">Take
Action: Federal Student Loan Caps Threaten Access to Counseling Programs</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Take Action: Federal Student Loan Caps Threaten Access to Counseling Programs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Starting July 1, 2026, as part of provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) could begin making significant changes to federal student loan limits. <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-concludes-negotiated-rulemaking-session-implement-one-big-beautiful-bill-acts-loan-provisions"><b>According
to the ED</b></a>, “OBBBA caps annual loans for new borrowers at $20,500 for graduate students ($100,000 aggregate limit), and $50,000 for professional students ($200,000 aggregate limit).”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Under these guidelines, non-doctorate counseling programs are considered graduate programs, and therefore capping student borrowing power to $20,500 a year in federal student loans. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ED has established very narrow criteria for what qualifies as a professional program. To be eligible, the program must be at the doctoral level, require at least six years of postsecondary study, lead to licensure,
and fall under specific Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes. The approved CIP codes do include counseling psychology and applied psychology, so students enrolled in doctoral programs within these fields should be eligible for the higher loan
limit of $50,000 per year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">These changes are incredibly disruptive and challenging for students. While the Administration intends for these policies to encourage schools to reduce tuition, we are deeply concerned that the burden will
instead fall on students. These federal loan limits may push some towards expensive private lenders and discourage others from pursuing counseling altogether.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ED is required to consider public comments—generally open for at least a 30-day period—before issuing a final rule. ACA will submit formal comments to the Department of Education during the comment period
and will be engaging with federal legislators to address this alarming policy shift.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">We strongly encourage counselors to advocate for the reversal of these provisions by also submitting comments to the Department of Education once the comment period opens. Counselors should also contact their
federal lawmakers to explain how these proposed loan limits would impose significant burdens on individuals pursuing counseling degrees and undermine the counseling profession.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ACA will continue to advocate on behalf of the counseling community and will provide updates as new information becomes available. We also invite counselors to <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Famericancounseling.quorum.us%2Fcampaign%2F148621%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccounselor_educ%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Caa14db2284794395580508de5de06069%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C639051415418402531%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Mo4IlsP6i46Av5vqk27h7%2F%2BN6U5LCngdr%2BPPBu9jy4s%3D&reserved=0" originalsrc="https://americancounseling.quorum.us/campaign/148621/"><b>share
how student loans have supported their journeys</b></a> toward becoming licensed professional counselors and how these proposed loan limits would negatively impact educational and professional trajectories. Your stories are essential to strengthening our advocacy
efforts. We will use this information to provide lawmakers with the real-world, lived experiences they need to fully understand the impact of these proposed changes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If you would like to become involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts, please contact the ACA Government Affairs and Public Policy team at <a href="mailto:advocacy@counseling.org"><b>advocacy@counseling.org</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
Christine Suniti Bhat (she/her), PhD, LPC, LSC (OH)</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Professor, Department of Counseling & Higher Education</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Patton College of Education</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">OHIO University, Athens, OH 45701</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Past-President, American Counseling Association, 2025-2026</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Fellow, American Counseling Association<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Fellow, Association for Specialists in Group Work<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Office: Patton Hall, 432F</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Phone: 740-593-4425; Email:
<a href="mailto:bhatc@ohio.edu"><span style="color:blue">bhatc@ohio.edu</span></a><br>
Website: <a href="https://www.ohio.edu/education/bhatc"><span style="color:blue">https://www.ohio.edu/education/bhatc</span></a><br>
Media: <a href="https://www.ohio.edu/experts/expert/christine-suniti-bhat"><span style="color:blue">https://www.ohio.edu/experts/expert/christine-suniti-bhat</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Note:<i> I may send emails outside typical working hours. Please respond during your workday or when it is most convenient for you to do so.</i></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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