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Affinity Plus introduces new student lending option following July 1 Grad PLUS loan changes

Medical and Health Profession Line of Credit helps students pursuing high-cost professional degrees plan for potential funding gaps ahead of fall semester

ST. PAUL, MI (July 20, 2026) |

Following new federal limits on graduate and professional student borrowing that took effect July 1, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union (Affinity Plus) today announced a new Medical and Health Profession Line of Credit designed to help eligible students pursuing medical, health and other professional degrees plan for potential funding gaps before the fall semester.

Under the new federal rules, students in eligible professional programs are limited to $50,000 per year and $200,000 in lifetime federal borrowing, while other graduate students are limited to $20,500 per year and $100,000 in lifetime federal borrowing.

For students pursuing multi-year professional degrees, those limits may create new gaps between federal loan availability and the full cost of attendance. According to Education Data Initiative, the average medical school debt balance in 2025 was $216,659 among new indebted graduates, with an additional $30,000 in undergraduate debt.

“For many students, the path to a professional degree already requires careful planning, and these federal loan changes add complexity,” said Corey Rupp, Chief Retail Officer for Affinity Plus. “We introduced this line of credit to give members another option as they work to cover potential funding gaps and stay focused on the career they’re pursuing.”

The new line of credit was developed in partnership with Credit Union Student Choice, a credit union-founded network that partners with more than 300 credit unions to provide private student lending solutions.

Affinity Plus’s Medical and Health Profession Line of Credit allows eligible borrowers to access up to $300,000, with fixed- and variable-rate repayment terms ranging from 5 to 25 years. The line of credit is available to those enrolled in eligible degree programs, which may include dentistry,  medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometry, podiatry, and veterinary medicine.

With many graduate and professional programs beginning in the coming weeks, the new line of credit is designed to support both immediate fall financing needs and longer-term planning for students enrolled in multi-year programs. Eligible borrowers can consider the option as they evaluate how to cover the full cost of attendance.

For more information about Affinity Plus’s Medical and Health Line of Credit, other financing options and membership opportunities, visit affinityplus.org.

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