As federal loan caps and the elimination of Grad PLUS take effect July 1, Minnesota launched the SELF Grad Loan program to fill gaps for graduate students. The state’s low-interest, fixed-rate structure is designed to reduce reliance on credit score by using a co-signer requirement and chosen repayment term. Minnesota officials said the program responds directly to new federal restrictions on borrowing that could otherwise limit students’ ability to cover costs. The program allows up to $300,000 for advanced dentistry, medicine, pharmacology, and veterinary medicine, while other graduate programs can borrow up to $50,000 annually and $150,000 cumulatively, with an extension available for residency or training. The launch comes as Minnesota failed to meet demand for student aid in recent years and could face another shortfall without additional state funding. The program also follows Connecticut’s earlier effort to create a state-backed graduate loan option. For higher education institutions, the update is a near-term enrollment and student-support issue: counseling, packaging practices, and financial aid offices will need to align with the new state product and anticipated changes in graduate borrowing behavior.