Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Eligibility
Graduate & Professional Students — Current vs. New Borrowers
Full-Time Enrollment
| Borrower Type | Enrollment Start | Annual Limit | Aggregate Limit | Lifetime Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate & Professional (e.g., J.D., LL.M.) | On or Before 06/30/2026 | $20,500 | $138,500 | N/A | Continues under prior eligibility rules. PLUS loan access retained for an interim period. |
| Professional (e.g., J.D.) | On or After 07/01/2026 | $50,000 | $200,000 | $257,500 | Higher annual & aggregate limits for new professional degree students. |
| Graduate (e.g., LL.M.) | On or After 07/01/2026 | $20,500 | $100,000 | $257,500 | LL.M. (Master of Laws) classified as a graduate degree; lower aggregate than professional. |
Part-Time Enrollment
| Borrower Type | Enrollment Start | Annual Limit | Aggregate Limit | Lifetime Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate & Professional (e.g., J.D., LL.M.) | On or Before 06/30/2026 | $20,500 * Subject to proration | $138,500 | N/A | Continues under prior eligibility rules. PLUS loan access retained for an interim period. |
| Professional (e.g., J.D.) | On or After 07/01/2026 | $50,000 * Subject to proration | $200,000 | $257,500 | No PLUS loan access. |
| Graduate (e.g., LL.M.) | On or After 07/01/2026 | $20,500 * Subject to proration | $100,000 | $257,500 | No PLUS loan access. |
* Part-time annual loan amounts are subject to a proration percentage based on enrollment intensity each academic year; actual annual amounts borrowed may be less than the stated maximum.
† “Current borrowers” refers to students who began their program of study and had a direct loan disbursed for that program of study on or before June 30, 2026 and maintain continuous enrollment. “New borrowers” refers to students beginning a program or borrowing their first loan for their program on or after July 1, 2026.
‡ Lifetime limit of $257,500 includes all federal direct loans (undergraduate + graduate/professional).
Law students will be notified of their Unsubsidized Loan eligibility in their financial aid notification letter.
- Interest Rate: adjusts annually on July 1st and is fixed for the life of the loan. For loans disbursed between 7/1/25 and 6/30/26, the rate is 7.94%. For loans disbursed between 7/1/26 and 6/30/27, the rate is 8.07%.
- Origination Fee: 1.057% for loans disbursed on or after 10/1/20 and before 09/30/27 .
- Eligibility: US Citizens or Permanent Residents who file the FAFSA, and are enrolled at least half time (6 credits in fall/spring or 4 credits in summer).
- Credit Requirements: none
- Repayment Terms: Repayment begins 6 months after borrower ceases to be enrolled half-time. While enrolled, borrowers may elect to make interest-only or full payments. See the Loan Repayment section of our website for complete information on repayment options.
- Accept/Decline/Reduce: Students must login to MySlice, select the ‘Financial Aid’ button, click on the relevant aid year, and then select the Accept/Decline tab. Students will then have the option to Accept, Reduce, or Decline the Federal student loan amounts in MySlice. To finalize the Unsubsidized Loan, students should complete any required items on their “To Do List” on MySlice, including the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. These can also be completed at studentaid.gov.
Loan Reduction for Less-Than-Full-Time Enrollment
Students who enroll less than full-time, or drop below full-time, may have their Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan reduced in proportion to their enrollment intensity. For example, if full-time enrollment is 24 credit hours and a student enrolls in 18 credit hours for the academic year, the student would be eligible for 75% of the annual loan limit (18 ÷ 24 = 75%).
For additional information, visit Loan Reduction for Less-Than-Full-Time Enrollment – Financial Aid – Syracuse University.