Federal student loan limits
There are two types of limits on the amount in subsidized and unsubsidized student loans that you may be eligible to receive each academic year. There are limits on the total amounts you may borrow for your undergraduate and graduate study (aggregate loan limits) and there’s annual loan limits. The limits can vary depending on things like, what year you’re in school and whether you’re an independent or dependent student.
Dependent students (except students whose parents were not eligible for Direct PLUS Loans) can get up to $31,000 in subsidized and unsubsidized loans, but no more than $23,000 of that amount can be in subsidized loans (aggregate loans).footnote 1
Undergraduate independent and dependent students whose parents were not eligible for Direct PLUS Loans can get up to $57,500, but no more than $23,000 of that amount can be in subsidized loans (aggregate loans).footnote 1
Graduate or professional students can get up to $138,500 in combined subsidized and unsubsidized loans, but no more than $65,500 of that amount can be in subsidized loans. You may also be eligible for Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate or Professional Students, which lets you borrow up to your Cost of Attendance (COA) minus any other financial aid received.footnote 1