TWSE:2603 26 June 2026

June 26, 2026, 7:02 AM EDT. A U.S. judge blocked the Education Department's narrower "professional degree" test in graduate loan caps, halting new federal limits on July 1. The decision keeps federal graduate loan caps at $20,500 annually, $100,000 lifetime, rather than expanding to $50,000 yearly and $200,000 overall. The ruling could limit growth for private lenders like Sallie Mae and SoFi, which expected increased business as high-cost programs shift from federal to private credit. Federal rules still end Grad PLUS loans for new borrowers, pushing those needing more funds to private loans, which often have tougher terms and no public service forgiveness. Sallie Mae reports a 14% rise in private graduate loan originations in Q1 and forecasts 12-14% growth in 2026, while SoFi posted record $2.6 billion Q1 student loans, up 119% year-on-year.