ACSA to Address the Impact of the OBBBA on Architectural Education

Architecture’s status as a professional degree is being threatened due to reclassifications initiated by the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). If approved by the U.S. Department of Education, this move will set new federal student loan limits.

• Under these new classifications, “professional students” can borrow up to $200,000 total in federal student loans, while other “graduate students” are limited to a lifetime borrowing limit of $100,000 total.

• Professional architecture programs (B.Arch., M.Arch., D.Arch.) require a minimum of five years, which may require borrowing loans, resulting in more than $100,000.

• This will decrease student access to architecture as a profession and will result in a range of issues that affect the quality of our homes, towns, and cities.

• The U.S. Department of Education will draft a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and open it for public comment before issuing final rules in 2026.

• ACSA will respond and urges all educators to comment on this proposed rule once available. .