Federal Stafford Loan Limits
Student Loans
New Loan Limits
The listed loan limits are for Federal Stafford Loans awarded in the 2008-09 academic year.
The Dept. of Education sets annual and aggregate (i.e. lifetime) limits of the amount of debt a student can obtain from the federal government. The chart below summarizes the current limits for the Federal Stafford Loan.
| Years | Dependent Undergraduate Student | Independent Undergraduate Student* | Graduate/Professional Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Year/Freshman | $5,500—No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | $9,500—No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | $20,500—No more than $8,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. |
| 2nd Year/Sophmore | $6,500—No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | $10,500—No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | |
| 3rd Year/Junior 4th Year/Senior | $7,500—No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | $12,500—No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | |
| Maximum Total Debt from Stafford Loans When You Graduate | $31,500—No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | $57,500—No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. | $138,500—No more than $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. |
| *Also applies to dependent undergraduate students whose parent was denied a PLUS loan. | |||