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Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loan Annual Limits

Annual loan limits are the maximum amounts that a student may receive for the entire Award Year.

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans have different annual loan limits based on whether the borrower is an undergraduate, a graduate or a professional student.

An undergraduate student’s Subsidized and Unsubsidized annual loan limits are determined by his or her Grade Level and whether the student is classified as dependent or independent.

Graduate and professional students are not eligible for the Federal Subsidized Loan. Their annual Federal Unsubsidized Loan limits are higher than those for undergraduates.

The actual loan amount that a student is eligible to receive may be less than his or her annual loan limit.

A student’s loan eligibility for a single semester is no more than 50% of his or her annual limit.

Undergraduate Student: Subsidized and Unsubsidized Annual Limits

Grade Level

Dependent Undergraduate Student

Independent Undergraduate Student

1

$5,500 (only $3,500 can be subsidized)

$9,500 (only $3,500 can be subsidized)

2

$6,500 (only $4,500 can be subsidized)

$10,500 (only $4,500 can be subsidized)

3 & 4*

$7,500 (only $5,500 can be subsidized)

$12,500 (only $5,500 can be subsidized)

5**

$5,500 (only $5,500 can be subsidized)

$12,500 (only $5,500 can be subsidized)

*Post-Baccalaureate students enrolled in an eligible second undergraduate degree are subject to the annual limits applicable to Grade Level 3 & 4 students.

**Students pursuing either state-required teacher certification coursework or preparatory coursework for acceptance to a graduate or professional program are subject to the Grade Level 5 annual limits.

Dependent undergraduate student pursuing preparatory coursework for admission to an undergraduate program are subject to a Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan Limit of $2,625.

Graduate & Professional Student Unsubsidized Annual Limits: Beginning with the 2026-27 year

Program Type

Annual Limit

Graduate School (including Public Health)

$20,500

Professional Programs*

$50,000

*At UGA, professional students are those pursuing a degree in Pharmacy (PharmD), Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Law (JD), Medicine (MD), and Clinical Psychology (PhD).

Graduate & Professional Student Unsubsidized Annual Limits: 2025-26 and Legacy Loan Limits

Program Type

Annual Limit

Graduate School & School of Law

$20,500 Fall & Spring (& Summer)

Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

$40,500 Fall & Spring
$47,167 Fall & Spring & Summer

Pharmacy (PharmD) or Public Health (DRPH/MPH)

$33,000 Fall & Spring
$37,167 Fall & Spring & Summer

Current graduate and professional students can continue under the existing loan limits and may keep using Graduate PLUS loans—but only for a limited time. This eligibility lasts until the earlier of: (1) the end of their current academic program, or (2) three academic years. To determine how much eligibility a student has left, we must take the total length of their program and subtract the time they’ve already been enrolled. A “current borrower” is a student who borrowed at least one Graduate PLUS or Direct Unsubsidized Loan before July 1, 2026, and who stays in the same academic program after that date.

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