Loan Limits Per Grade Level-Legacy Borrowers
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, some students who had a federal student loan disbursed prior to July 1, 2026, have loan limits governed by previous federal loan regulations.
Annual limits for students who qualify for the legacy loan provisions:
| Maximum Subsidized + Unsubsidized | Maximum Subsidized | |
| Dependent Freshman | $5,500 | $3,500 |
| Dependent Sophomore | $6,500 | $4,500 |
| Dependent Junior/Senior | $7,500 | $5,500 |
| Independent Freshman | $9,500 | $3,500 |
| Independent Sophomore | $10,500 | $4,500 |
| Independent Junior/Senior | $12,500 | $5,500 |
| Graduate* | $20,500 | $0 |
| Medical | $40,500 | $0 |
Aggregate limits for students who qualify for the legacy loan provisions:
| Maximum Subsidized + Unsubsidized | Maximum Subsidized | |
| Dependent Undergraduate | $31,000 | $23,000 |
| IndependentUndergraduate | $57,500 | $23,000 |
| Graduate* | $138,500 | $65,500** |
| Medical* | $224,000 | $65.500** |
*The graduate and medical debt limits include loans received for undergraduate study.
**Graduate subsidized loans are no longer available as the federal government has ended the subsidized loan program for graduate students.
Parent PLUS Loan limits
for parents of students eligible for the legacy loan provisions:
- Annual Parent PLUS Loan Limit: Cost of attendance minus other aid
- Lifetime Parent PLUS Loan Limit: None
What happens once I lose my legacy standing?
Your loan eligibility will be evaluated under the rules for post-July 1, 2026 borrowing. This includes the new lifetime loan limit. If you have exceeded the lifetime limit, you will not be able to borrow any more federal loans.
