UC Irvine moved to lower graduate tuition after new federal loan caps constrained what many students can borrow. The university is cutting tuition for its Flex MBA by $30,000 (23%) to a total of $99,000 and reducing its Executive MBA by $48,000 (28%), placing pricing just around loan-limit thresholds for most graduate students. The policy change begins July 1, when most graduate students face a $20,500 annual federal-loan cap and an aggregate program limit of $100,000, with higher borrowing allowed only for “professional” disciplines such as law and some medical fields. UC Irvine’s dean of the Paul Merage School of Business, Ian O. Williamson, said the discounts require tradeoffs including optional credits and revised program elements. The move underscores how quickly institutions are adjusting affordability strategies—scholarships, bridge aid, and curriculum changes—after federal aid rules reshape enrollment economics for graduate programs.